Articles by Paul Flynn MP
Paul Flynn MP
Beacons of truth
Arising from the dross and trivia of the national newspapers today are some beacons of truth.
Julian Glover in the Guardian says the unsayable. "Afghanistan is already yesterday's war, though it is still to be tomorrow's defeat".
The Independent escapes from the current events of the day, to remind us of a [...]
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Paul Flynn MP
Clock-winder who wouldn't say no
It’s 18 months since David Taylor died.
The grief and shock at his wholly unexpected heart attack was accompanied by the regret at the sadness of his final months. David, the retiring MP for North West Leiscestershire, was unfairly dragged into the maelstrom of the Commons Expenses scandal in spite of his [...]
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Paul Flynn MP
The varnished truth
Total of British soldiers killed in Afghanistan = 363
The calamity deepens but hope is on the way.
It's nearly a month since the carefully varnished flow of half-truths were emitted from Fukushima. The Japanese nuclear company TEPCO fell into the auto-pilot of 'reassure at all times' mode.
All bad news was announced [...]
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Paul Flynn MP
Schadenfreude and flagellation
What’s the point?
One
Millionaire David Cameron is married to a millionaire. He earns a good salary. What point is he making by ‘celebrating’ with a Ryanair no frills trip? The only things that make flying bearable are the frills.
Why the self-flagellation? Who is he trying to impress? Most people would regard [...]
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Paul Flynn MP
Despondency beckons the Tories
My pre-election expectations range from realism to pessimism. I anticipated the results of all my six General Election results except the last one in 2011 and the first one in 1987. I could have lost both.
Today's poll on the Assembly Election is an extraordinary one. The only worthwhile analysis was [...]
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Paul Flynn MP
Mari Rees R.I.P.
Part of the excitement of the coming Assembly Election result is the prospect of a fresh group of exciting new AMs.
Until Monday I expected one of those to be Mari Rees. When I cheerfully answered the phone to Mari’s father my friend Caerleon Doctor Russell Rees on Monday I had [...]
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Paul Flynn MP
'Save our nuclear heritage'
Paul Maynard the new Tory MP for Blackpool was on the next table to mine in the Terrace Cafeteria at lunchtime today. I noticed that he was shuffling some papers with intriguing pictures of power stations. He told me that he was speaking in today's final adjournment debate in which [...]
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Paul Flynn MP
300 outnumbered by 7
The Speaker allowed me a bit of licence today. There was an emergency question on the sacking of service personnel. My Question sought to raise the National Audit Office's report of last week on the failures of supplies to be delivered on time. What Hansard does not report is [...]
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Paul Flynn MP
Giftie Lembit didna gie
O wad some Power the giftie gie us To see oursels as ithers see us!"
The 'giftie' gave Lembit many gifts but denied him self-awareness.
Today I watch the playback of Tuesday TV programme on two cases of unfair treatment by newspapers. Paul Gasgoine's ex-wife had been grossly libelled and she engaged [...]
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Paul Flynn MP
Chartists would say 'Yes'
The Newport Chartists would have said ‘Yes’ to AV.
It was in my constituency in 1839 that 20 Chartists were gunned down. They were marching for democracy. All the points of their Charter were achieved – except annual parliaments. They were impassioned because of the gross injustices of the franchise of [...]
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Paul Flynn MP
Afghan gratitude
Sombre news from the forgotten war in Afghanistan.
Ten years of vast sacrifices in blood and treasure have achieved nothing. A mob is so anti-Western that peacemakers have been lynched. The Afghan Police were impotent spectators. Perhaps this will expose the foolish optimism of Liam Fox. He still believes that an [...]
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Paul Flynn MP
Prison, power and protest
One day in parliament
Paul Flynn (Newport West) (Lab): To underline his claim that prisons are well run, will the right hon. and learned Gentleman remind the House of the precise number of prisons that are free of the use of illegal drugs?
Mr Clarke: I would not like to guarantee that [...]
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Paul Flynn MP
A LibDem denia; too far
How much can the Lib-Dems take? Can the anti-nuclear Lib-Dem MPs continue to back a doomed policy? They were clear in their denunciations before the General Election.
Simon Hughes never changed his mind. Now Nick Clegg appears to have cracked. The Deputy Prime Minister cast doubt on the future for nuclear [...]
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Paul Flynn MP
Tremble, Tory MPs
No party ever prepares for opposition.
Even predictable defeats are a shock and a trigger for prolonged misery. Nigel Fisher’s book ‘How to be in opposition’ is a tale of years of arid futility occasionally enlivened by minor triumphs. Heroes of past oppositions are described for our admiration and encouragement. Neil [...]
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Paul Flynn MP
A convenient truth
Isn't that convenient?
Facemasks might mean arrests in future, In particular at the royal wedding - apart from bridal veils.. Any other attempt to disguises features will prove guilt and offenders will be thrown into the slammer. Soft cop on Saturday will be hard cop for the nuptials.
The reactions of the [...]
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Paul Flynn MP
Why didn't I think of that?
It was such a strange question that I had never given it a thought. Aled ap Dafydd asked me on the Welsh Politics Show today, 'Why did AV in Australia double the number of voters who spoil their ballot papers?.' I do not believe they [...]
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Paul Flynn MP
A demo with everything. Well done TUC.
500,000 people who walked 30 deep and took 4 hours to pass through Parliament Square. 24 news outlets broadcast ten hours of interviews with the sensible moderate young and old demonstrators. The pictures were strong and appealingThe speeches were restrained and persuasive.
The violent scenes [...]
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Paul Flynn MP
From Hero to Nero
Once the darling of the middle-of-the-road voters Nick Clegg has had a hideous 48 hours.
Anyone can forget a microphone in the pocket,but his comment will return to haunt him. If he is to recover a separate identity for the LibDems his confession of no differences between the two parties will [...]
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Paul Flynn MP
Talking toothbrush
Total of British Soldiers killed in Afghanistan = 362
Today I've discovered a new heroine.
I was chairing this morning's session of a Westminster Education Forum conference on scientific research. It was held in the swish location of Over-seas House in St James's Street London.
The first of six speakers in my [...]
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Paul Flynn MP
Once it was exciting
But no more.
Today's budget was a drama-drained drone of yesterday's press releases. In his day Gordon Brown was apocalyptic with a Heathcliff booming voice and contrived surprises. Nothing of any significance can be delivered in Osborne's squeaking falsetto.
Today I had a choice. Attend my 24th budget speech or chair the [...]
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