Paul Flynn

Labour MP

PAUL FLYNN, who has died at 84, was a veteran but unorthodox Labour stalwart at Westminster, who once went so far as to encourage people with serious illnesses to break the law and smoke cannabis.

An accomplished author, his dogged campaigning on issues ranging from the legalisation of marijuana to devolution and Tony Blair’s accountability over the Iraq war became a hallmark of his 31 years in the Commons – most of which was spent launching broadsides from the backbenches.

Born in Cardiff on February 9, 1935, he won a place at St Illtyd’s Catholic College, a grammar school, and went on to study at Cardiff University.

After nearly three decades tempering his mettle in Wales’s industrial heartlands, he entered politics in the early 1970s and served as a councillor first for Newport borough then Gwent county. He had a go at Parliament in the second election of 1974, standing for Labour in Denbigh, although it was not until 1987 that he would enter the Commons after taking Newport West from Conservative Mark Robinson, who had unexpectedly taken the seat four years earlier.

Aged in his early 50s yet with only a fledgling Westminster career, Mr Flynn was appointed to Labour’s front bench in June 1988 by fellow Welshman Neil Kinnock, who made him shadow health spokesman.

But the position was short-lived and he returned to the backbenches 12 months later where he would remain for the next 26 years.

In the burgeoning era of New Labour, the leftwinger became a vocal critic of Mr Blair and his leadership of the party, on one occasion branding its policies in opposition as “timid and anaemic”.

Another longstanding issue of concern to Mr Flynn dating back to the early 1990s was the debate around the legalisation of cannabis, which he had advocated as a means of reducing harm.

With ailing health he announced in October 2018 his intention to stand down.