‘Hypocrisy’ versus 'hypocrisy'

Shafted
Eyes forward, walk as quickly as possible, and avoid eye contact. That's the way to get through the lobby of opposition parties.  It’s a hateful walk but it has to be done occasionally.

It was consoling that my respected friends Gordon Prentice, David Taylor, Kelvin Hopkins and Alan Simpson were also in the Tory Lobby. Even super loyalist Islwyn's MP  Don Touhig abstained.

‘Hypocrisy’ shouted the Tories against Labour MPs who voted for post offices closures then campaigned against them in their own constituencies. ‘Hypocrisy’ cried Labour of the Tories failing to promise to match Labour's investment of £1.7 billion.

It was that sort of debate with declamatory hyperbole intended for consumption outside. The presentation of the Government case has been poor. Can I really be thinking, ‘Bring back Alistair Campbell’?

I voted for the Tories' motion because it sought a delay and an investigation. I also voted for the Labour amendment which praised the high investment made by this government in the Post Offices. I am convinced that urban areas have been shafted. None of the 600 Post Offices with about 16 customers a week are in the towns.

Under threat in Newport West are too busy offices that serve a vast catchment area including many elderly people. My constituents are convinced of their viability and the evidence to the contrary is thin.  One is the last remaining of three in the Stow Hill Allt yr yn area. The other in Malpas Road serves a distinctive community at the hub of a mini-shopping centre. These cut are too deep.  There is no case for closing lively urban Post Office to keep deserted rural ones open.

Local decision making by councils is welcome. There is some irresponsibility in rural areas that know the subsidies will not come from local pockets. Let the councils decide what's hopeless and what's worthwhile.

Wardrobe key

There is justice.

Billy Bunter look-alike Nicholas Soames is accused of towing two children in a trailer in Slaugham, West Sussex, while following a New Year's Day hunt.

In the film, shot by hunt monitors, another child was allegedly seen sitting behind the Conservative MP. It was claimed that none of the children were strapped in or wearing crash helmets in the footage.

Brash, bombastic and pompous Nick is immortalised in Parliamentary anecdotage by a description by a former lover of sex with Soames “ It’s like having a double wardrobe fall on top of you – with the key still in the lock.’ Overweight and overbearing, he is a rare survivor of Olde England when they thought that tormenting animals for fun was spifffing sport. Perhaps a preservation order should be slapped on him as one the last of a dying breed.

Let hope the Crawley magistrates abide by Nick’s strictures on being tough on crime. This is no time for mercy.

Nato sense
The penny has dropped for Parliament’s usually gung-ho Defence Committee.

Today they noticed a lack of political will among European governments in Afghanistan. They urged Nato leaders to send more troops and with fewer caveats. They too could lose 89 of their soldiers in a lost cause as we have done.

The MPs complained that only six of Europe's 24 members have achieved a commitment to spend at least 2% of GDP on defence. Presumably they are squandering their money instead on health, education and overseas aid.

Next week I will have a chance to expose the depth of Britain’s failure in Helmand province. I have an adjournment debate on Tuesday possibly to be answered by Kim Howells the toast of Colombia, Kabul and Tel Aviv. That should be really interesting.

Comments

[Easy]

soames also crashing snob. i know what he'd like to do to the likes of you, paddy boy.

[Paul Flynn]

On today's blog I have a cartoon of the both of us. It was incident when I asked him he would support me when I ran for election as the next monarch.

[valleylad]

Don Touhig isn't the MP for Torfaen, although he obviously couldn't be worse than what we're lumbered with :)

[Paul Flynn]

Oops, Valleylad. I remember Don as a County Councillor for part of Torfaen for decages. I can't get used to his transfer to Islwyn.

[grammar school]

"Fewer caveats"

[Paul Flynn]

Quite right. I stand corrected. A wonderful thing - a 'grammar school' education