The passing of Paul Flynn yesterday has seen Wales lose one of the longest supporters of Devolution outside Plaid Cymru and it represents the independent nature, of someone who ensued political advancement in order to promote often controversial but nerveless often progressive views
I remember attending a CND rally where he spoke and unlike many of his colleagues recognised, welcomed and praised the presence of Plaid Cumru supporters.
Indeed he spoke in Welsh, which he had learned as an adult and it may be that some Plaid members may have dreams of him defecting.
But his loyalty was always to the Labour Party and it was an unselfish one even under Tony Blair where he may have often had misgivings.
Wales has lost a brave and important supporter of Peace, Cymraeg, Devolution and many other progressive causes.
indeed he is perhaps the only Non-Plaid MP in Wales who if I had lived in his constituency of Newport West , who faced with the seat being lost to the Tories I would have no problem in voting for.
Paul Flynn was a long-standing opponent of nuclear power in the United Kingdom, and in particular the new Hinkley Point C nuclear power station across the Bristol Channel from his constituency. He was a republican, and in 1996 tabled a bill to abolish the monarchy via a referendum.[11]
In November 2017, Flynn declared that Donald Trump should be arrested for inciting racial hatred if he went ahead with visiting the UK.
Flynn called for the legalisation of cannabis. In August 2017, he said in the House of Commons: “I would call on people to break the law. To come here and use cannabis here and see what happens”.[14]
Flynn called for Theresa May to promise a second referendum on European Union membership. He stated that “second thoughts are always superior to first thoughts”. May responded to his call by saying that it was “out of the question”.
Flynn was critical of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, and argued that the parliamentary expenses scheme should be replaced with a flat rate allowance dependent on the distance their constituency from Westminster. He claimed that the current procedure is too bureaucratic and time-consuming.
Flynn was Chairman of the Broadcasting Council for Wales, and member of the South Wales Docks Board and the Council of University College, Cardiff.
In March 2018, following the poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal, Flynn tweeted that the Conservative Party were “officially sponsored by NERVE GAS KILLERS R US”. He later deleted the post.[18]
I remember attending a CND rally where he spoke and unlike many of his colleagues recognised, welcomed and praised the presence of Plaid Cumru supporters.
Indeed he spoke in Welsh, which he had learned as an adult and it may be that some Plaid members may have dreams of him defecting.
But his loyalty was always to the Labour Party and it was an unselfish one even under Tony Blair where he may have often had misgivings.
Wales has lost a brave and important supporter of Peace, Cymraeg, Devolution and many other progressive causes.
indeed he is perhaps the only Non-Plaid MP in Wales who if I had lived in his constituency of Newport West , who faced with the seat being lost to the Tories I would have no problem in voting for.
With the possibility of based on activity on social media overnight there appears to be a reasonable chance today could be the day that the Labour Party finally splinters perhaps joined by some Tories forming a"Centre Party" a byelection in Newport West would be one of the most interesting in UK history.
But whoever wins it is unlikely that we will see someone of the Independence and commitment to the future of Welsh Democracy as Paul Flynn R.I.P>
1 comment:
Paul Flynn did not learn Welsh as an adult,he learnt it as a schoolboy I an English medium secondary school, albeit a RC grammar school.Not many people have achieved that never mind anything else, Gorffwys mewn hedd,Paul.
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