Patrick Mercer's professional life has been remarkable by anyone's standards, surviving two IRA assassination attempts during a high-flying Army career before leaving the forces to become a broadcast journalist and, finally, a politician in 2001.

The Newark MP, whose father was the Bishop of Exeter, spent much of his career as a long and decorated military officer before ending up as colonel of the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters regiment.

During his Army career Mr Mercer completed nine tours of duty in Northern Ireland as well as others in Uganda and Germany, and commanded a battalion in Bosnia and Canada.

Becoming one of the military's most distinguished figures, he was mentioned in despatches in Northern Ireland in 1983 before receiving a gallantry commendation in 1990 and an MBE in 1992. In 1997, he was presented with an OBE for services in Bosnia.

While serving in Northern Ireland, he is credited with having survived two assassination attempts by the IRA.

Mr Mercer left the military in 1999 to become a journalist, taking up the role of defence correspondent for BBC Radio 4's prestigious Today programme, before entering politics in 2001.

After winning the Conservative candidacy for the target constituency of Newark in Nottinghamshire, he overturned a deficit of 3,000 to be elected by a 4,000 margin over the then Labour MP Fiona Jones.

Mr Mercer's short political career has been relatively successful - but stunted by a staunchly right-wing outlook which has failed to curry favour with David Cameron's modernising approach.

In June 2003, he was appointed Shadow Homeland Security Minister, dealing with terrorism and national security issues, which is a position he still holds today. However, his chances of swift further promotion were seriously damaged when he publicly backed David Davis in the Tory leadership election of 2005.

The Newark MP has faced controversy before during his short political career.

In 2004, the then leader Michael Howard was urged to sack him after he appeared to suggest that children in rural areas should be given lessons in handling firearms.

Mr Mercer made the comments at a fringe meeting at the Tories' spring conference, where he was quoted as saying that banning handguns because people got shot was like banning cars because people were killed in road accidents.

"It is so much more sensible to train children to handle and have a respect for weapons than to simply ban them," he said.

Times Recommends

• What makes the perfect mum?
• To keep me stress-free, no more awareness days, please
• What do lottery winners buy?