Paul Flynn (politician)

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For other persons of the same name, see Paul Flynn.

Paul Philip Flynn (born February 9, 1935) is a British politician. He is the Labour Member of Parliament for Newport West. Paul Flynn was born in Cardiff of Welsh/Irish parentage.

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[edit] Educational and Professional Background

Flynn was educated at the St Illtyd Roman Catholic College in Cardiff and at the University College, Cardiff. On leaving education in 1955 he worked as a chemist in the steel industry, where he remained until 1983. After a year as a broadcaster on Gwent Community Radio, he became a researcher for the Member of the European Parliament Llew Smith in 1984 and remained as such until his election to Westminster.

[edit] Political Career

Flynn was elected as a councillor on the Newport Borough Council in 1972-1981 and to the Gwent County Council 1974-1982. He unsuccessfully contested Denbigh at the October 1974 General Election where he was defeated by the Conservative Geraint Morgan by 4,551 votes. He was elected to the House of Commons at the 1987 General Election for Newport West defeating the Tory Mark Robinson, who had surprisingly won the seat at the 1983 General Election. Flynn defeated Robinson by 2,708 votes and has remained the MP since.

Flynn joined the front bench under Neil Kinnock in 1988 when he became a spokesman on health and social security and for social security in 1989. He was dropped from the front bench by John Smith in 1990 and has remained on the back benches since. He joined the transport select committee in 1990 until after the 1997 General Election when he joined the Welsh Affairs select committee for a year. He was a member of the environment audit select committee in 2003 until the 2005 General Election, since when he has been a member of the public administration committee.

[edit] Political Confrontations

Recently Paul Flynn was involved in a libel case where he made comments about an endowment pensions company, the result of which he had to pay out damages. He was sued after he posted an attack on such companies on his website, claiming they were out to "re-rob" the victims of endowment mis-selling by dishonestly over-charging them for their services.

But he made the mistake of referring to well-regarded company Endowment Justice Ltd, which represents mis-selling victims on a "no-win, no-fee" basis. The company and its directors sued and at London's High Court Mr Flynn made a public apology for the "unjustified attack" on the claimants' integrity.

The MP as part of the settlement put the following statement on his website: On this website in February this year, I made certain statements referring to Endowment Justice Limited, one of the companies which offers assistance in obtaining compensation for those people who were mis-sold endowment policies. I have been campaigning against companies providing professional services in relation to endowment policy compensation claims, but my facts about Endowment Justice were incorrect. As a result, I wrongly accused the company and its directors Nick Keca, Marianne Fitzjohn and Graeme Webber of having previously mis-sold endowment policies and now dishonestly overcharging those self-same victims to help them obtain compensation. I am happy to clarify that neither Endowment Justice Ltd or any of its directors were ever involved in any aspect of endowment policy selling. It was therefore false and unfair to suggest that they had profited from the historic mis-selling of endowment policies. I was also incorrect in stating that Endowment Justice, which offers its services in recovering compensation on a “no-win, no-fee” basis, could charge its customers up to 40% of any compensation gained. Endowment Justice in fact charge customers 17.5% plus VAT or 22.5% plus VAT of any compensation gained. I was wrong to give the unintended impression that the company or its directors acts in any way improperly or unlawfully in providing services to those seeking compensation for endowment policy mis-selling. I would like to apologise to Endowment Justice for my allegations, and to Mr. Keca, Ms. Fitzjohn and Mr. Webber for any embarrassment or distress caused by my false remarks.

[edit] Personality

An entertaining and literate character, Flynn speaks fluent Welsh and is highly regarded amongst his parliamentary colleagues, having received acccolades for his campaigning work. He was an early adopter of using CD-ROMs to access Hansard and in 2000 won the New Satesman New Media Award for his website and has and been voted the best website of all MPs on many other occasions. He has also written a book, Dragons Led By Poodles, about the devolution campaign in Wales in the 1990s. He has been twice married, first to Anne Harvey in 1962 with whom he has a son and a deceased daughter, they divorced in 1984; he has been married to Samantha Morgan Cumpstone since 1985. He has often called for the legalisation of cannabis.

[edit] Publications

  • Television in Wales by Paul Flynn, 1974
  • Commons Knowledge: How to Be a Backbencher by Paul Flynn, 1997, Seren Books ISBN 1-85411-206-6
  • Baglu 'Mlaen (Cyfres Y Cewri) by Paul Flynn, 1998, Cyhoeddiadau Mei ISBN 0-86074-147-8
  • Dragons Led by Poodles: Inside Story of a New Labour Stitch Up by Paul Flynn, 1999, Politico's Publishing ISBN 1-902301-24-2

[edit] External links

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Mark Robinson		 Member of Parliament for Newport West
1987 – present		 Incumbent
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