Who’s Afraid Of Carol Vorderman?

You can tell how desperate the Tories are getting when their response to critics who have a larger than average megaphone is to lash out and play the victim. And that, with added pointless moaning, is exactly what Johnny Mercer, former Commando with three tours of Afghanistan on his record, has been doing. He has even roped in his wife to enhance the moaning.

Why should this be? Ah well. Mercer and Wife are moaning because they have been criticised by former Countdown numbers person Carol Vorderman, and they don’t like it one bit. Ms Vorderman chose to pass severely adverse comment on Mercer following his appearance on Sky News.

Here, he was lightly grilled by Kay Burley: “Is there any need for military personnel to be using food banks?” Captain Mercer (for it was he) responded “Look, these are personal decisions around how people are budgeting every month”. Come on Kay! “People don’t choose to use food banks, do they? They’re using them because they don’t have any other alternative”.

Here, Mercer reached his fork in the road moment. He could admit it, but no modern Tory owns up to anything not to their advantage. So he denied it: “Well, in my experience Kay, that is not correct”. Ms Vorderman was sufficiently angered by that to comment. Mercer did not take kindly to the criticism. So began the moaning and smearing. “You are grim” he Tweeted.

Thus a campaign destined to develop not necessarily to his advantage. Back came Ms V. “The Neil and Christine Hamilton of today? [Johnny Mercer] and his wife … He said y’day military personnel don't need to go to food banks. He earns over £110k as a Minister & pays her in his office £35-40k. She's paid more than Army officer & TWICE more than young soldier”.

Operations director at Newham Community Project Rozina Iqbal responded to Mercer's comment. "It is quite easy to make assumptions and accusations when you're sitting on a six-figure salary”. Ms Vorderman added “A blasting indictment of [Johnny Mercer] views on food banks. As a kid in single parent family who grew up on free school meals & in poverty, any arrogance on this subject, particularly from those who've never known it, abhors me”.

Then came the moaning, initiated by Felicity Cornelius Mercer (for it was she) who went on LBC’s Difficult Woman podcast and declared “I don't know what it is, she just drives me up the f***ing wall … I don't usually get stressed out by people, but for me it is this idea of celebrity attack dogs that know nothing about politics. There's definitely an argument to be had about that”.

There is? “I understand everyone has an opinion on politics. But for me, it's this blanket hatred, it's like inciting people to hate all Tories, or hate all Labour, hate everyone that falls under a certain umbrella … You can't blanket hate and this is what Vorderman seems to be doing. 'All Tories are disgusting', she keeps using words like ‘disgusting’”. There was more.

“Cornelius-Mercer, whose husband served in the army's 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery, which supports the Royal Marines, said: ‘She's an honorary group captain. She should be stripped of that, because she shouldn't be political, this is rabidly political.’” Yeah, do any more of that criticism stuff and I’ll start a campaign to have your title stripped!

Julia Grace Patterson, who you can tell as she’s a doctor, was not impressed. “This article contains a quote saying Carol Vorderman knows nothing about politics. I and many other campaigners talk to Carol a lot. I can tell you with absolute certainty that she knows a *lot* about politics, and she is obviously incredibly intelligent”. Time to stop digging, Mercers?

Not a bit of it. Captain Mercer whined “You’re just a deeply unpleasant person” at Ms Vorderman. Few others backed him: of those that did, the Twitter bios tell a similar story. “I am a Conservative. Family Values” … “Proud to be English. Proud to be British #NigelFarage” … “NO FBPE! NO WOKE!” … “BREXIT [Union Flag] AntiWoke … Buy British” and so on.

And this prize specimen: “Help Animals, elderly/sick/military Save Sea/countryside from box hses & water cos spewing sewage. Harsh prison 4 criminals, ban halal/kosher, Deport illegals”. With that level of support, Mercer and Ms Cornelius Mercer ought to take the hint. But they can’t. It’s almost as if the Tories can’t take criticism of their lousy record without lashing out.

Ms Vorderman is entitled to criticise the Tories. So are we all. Get over it.

Enjoy your visit to Zelo Street? You can help this truly independent blog carry on talking truth to power, while retaining its sense of humour, by becoming a Patron on Patreon at

https://www.patreon.com/Timfenton