A FORMER colonel in the Woofers is facing a political storm after suggesting that being called a black bastard' was part and parcel of Army life for ethnic minority soldiers.

Shadow home affairs spokesman Patrick Mercer, a former colonel in the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters, said he had known many soldiers from ethnic minority backgrounds who used racism as an excuse for poor performance.

The Tory front bench MP said yesterday in an interview with the Times Online: "I came across a lot of ethnic minority soldiers who were idle and useless, but who used racism as cover for their misdemeanours."

Mr Mercer, MP for Newark and Reftord, said it was commonplace for troops to be given a hard time over their ethnicity, the colour of their hair, or because they were overweight.

Mr Mercer's comments followed a report yesterday that soldiers from the Commonwealth were forming their own trade union because of abuse and racism.

The MP dismissed the complaints as absolute nonsense, complete and utter rot'.

There was no immediate response to Mr Mercer's remarks from Conservative Party headquarters but his comments were condemned by Labour MP Dawn Butler.

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell's chief of staff Edward Davey said Mr Mercer should be sacked because his position was now untenable'.

A press spokesman for the Woofers said the commanding officer was not available for comment because senior officers were being briefed on the planned deployment to Afghanistan.