Paul Flynn death: One of Labour's longest serving MPs dies aged 84
'He will be greatly missed,' Jeremy Corbyn says
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Paul Flynn, one of Labour’s longest serving MPs, has died aged 84. Party leader Jeremy Corbyn said he would be greatly missed.
“I’m very sad at the passing of my good friend Paul Flynn,” he tweeted about the longstanding member for Newport West.
“He had such love for Newport, knowledge of radical South Wales history and a dry wit. He was an independent thinker who was a credit to the Labour Party. He will be greatly missed.”
Mr Flynn’s local association called him a hero.
It tweeted: “Paul is a hero to many of us in the Newport Labour family and we mourn for his family’s loss. We would ask that the privacy of Paul’s family is respected at this difficult time.”
First Minister of Wales and Welsh Labour leader Mark Drakeford said Mr Flynn was a giant of the Welsh Labour movement.
“Today’s news will be a source of great sadness to all those who knew him,” he said. “He was one of the most effective communicators of his generation – inside the House of Commons and outside. But it was Paul’s willingness to speak up for causes beyond the political mainstream which marked him out as a politician of real courage and integrity.
“I first met him more than 35 years ago, and it has been a privilege to have worked with him, in the run-up to the devolution era and beyond.”
A Cardiff native, Mr Flynn was elected to parliament in 1987 after working as a chemist.
In 2016, aged 81, he became the oldest MP in over a century to hold a shadow cabinet position when he briefly served as shadow secretary of state for Wales and shadow leader of the House of Commons.
Mr Flynn, who was a strong advocate for the medicinal use of cannabis, announced in October that he intended to stand down as an MP due to health reasons. He said at the time: “It’s been a great, wonderful, rich experience. I lasted 31 years.”
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments