It was fifteen years ago that the House of Commons last abandoned its main business because the parliamentary family had been bereaved. John Smith's death was an unexpected shock in 1994. The death of Ivan Cameron was predicted but it still evoked deep sympathy.
The shared unfeigned sadness of all members was the same on both occasions. The tribute paid to Cameron's son by Gordon Brown was touching and poignant because both families have suffered the death of an infant.
The party political game had lost its savour. Prime Minister's questions was abandoned and the rest of the day's business dragged on in a desultory fashion for a few pointless hours. The circus was abandoned. Parliamentarians grieved.
Rememberance
Yesterday I put down down Early Day Motions listing the growing toll of British fatalities in Afghanistan. The EDMs now fill four pages of the Order Paper. Already the list in out of date because four more have been killed today. How much longer will the country tolerate this pointless loss of lives?
EDM 846
FATALITIES IN AFGHANISTAN
23.02.2009
Flynn, Paul
That this House salutes the bravery of the armed forces serving in Afghanistan and records with sorrow the deaths of Lance Corporal Jake Alderton of 36 Engineer Regiment, Major Alexis Roberts, 1st Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles, aged 32 from Kent, Colour Sergeant Phillip Newman, 4th Battalion The Mercian Regiment, aged 36, Private Brian Tunnicliffe, 2nd Battalion The Mercian Regiment (Worcesters and Foresters), aged 33 from Ilkeston, Corporal Ivano Violino from 36 Engineer Regiment, aged 29 from Salford, Sergeant Craig Brelsford, 2nd Battalion The Mercian Regiment, aged 25 from Nottingham, Private Johan Botha, 2nd Battalion The Mercian Regiment from South Africa, Private Damian Wright, 2nd Battalion The Mercian Regiment, aged 23 from Mansfield, Private Ben Ford, 2nd Battalion The Mercian Regiment, aged 18 from Chesterfield, Senior Aircraftman Christopher Bridge from C flight, 51 Squadron Royal Air Force Regiment, aged 20, from Sheffield, Private Aaron James McClure, 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment, aged 19 from Ipswich, Private Robert Graham Foster, 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment, aged 19 from Harlow, Private John Thrumble, 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment, aged 21 from Chelmsford, Captain David Hicks of 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment, aged 26 from Surrey, Private Tony Rawson of 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment, aged 27 from Dagenham, Essex, Lance Corporal Michael Jones, Royal Marines aged 26 from Newbald, Yorkshire, Sergeant Barry Keen of 14 Signal Regiment, aged 34 from Gateshead and Guardsman David Atherton from the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, aged 25 from Manchester.
EDM 847
FATALITIES IN AFGHANISTAN (No. 2)
23.02.2009
Flynn, Paul
That this House salutes the bravery of the armed forces serving in Afghanistan and records with sorrow the deaths of Lance Corporal Alex Hawkins of 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment, aged 22 from East Dereham, Norfolk, Guardsman Daryl Hickey, 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, aged 27 from Birmingham, Sergeant Dave Wilkinson from 19 Regiment Royal Artillery, aged 33 from Ashford, Kent, Captain Sean Dolan of 1st Battalion The Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters, aged 40 from the West Midlands, Drummer Thomas Wright, 1st Battalion The Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters, aged 21 from Ripley, Derbyshire, Guardsman Neil `Tony' Downes, 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, aged 20 from Manchester, Lance Corporal Paul `Sandy' Sandford, 1st Battalion The Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters, aged 23 from Nottingham, Corporal Mike Gilyeat, Royal Military Police, aged 28, Corporal Darren Bonner, 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment, aged 31 from Norfolk, Guardsman Daniel Probyn, 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, aged 22 from Tipton, Lance Corporal George Russell Davey, 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment, aged 23 from Suffolk, Guardsman Simon Davison, 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, aged 22 from Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Private Chris Gray, A Company, 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment, aged 19 from Leicestershire, WO2 Michael `Mick' Smith, 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery, aged 39 from Liverpool, Marine Benjamin Reddy, 42 Commando Royal Marines, aged 22 from Ascot in Berkshire, Lance Bombardier Ross Clark, aged 25 from South Africa and Lance Bombardier Liam McLaughlin, aged 21 from Lancashire.
EDM 848
FATALITIES IN AFGHANISTAN (No. 3)
23.02.2009
Flynn, Paul
That this House salutes the bravery of the armed forces serving in Afghanistan and records with sorrow the deaths of Marine Scott Summers, 42 Commando Royal Marines, aged 23 from Crawley, East Sussex, Marine Jonathan Holland, 45 Commando Royal Marines, aged 23 from Chorley in Lancashire, Lance Corporal Mathew Ford, 45 Commando Royal Marines, aged 30 from Immingham, Lincolnshire, Marine Thomas Currey, 42 Commando Royal Marines, aged 21 from East London, Lance Bombardier James Dwyer, 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery, aged 22, Marine Richard J Watson, 42 Commando Royal Marines, aged 23 from Caterham, Surrey, Marine Jonathan Wigley, 45 Commando Royal Marines, aged 21 from Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, Marine Gary Wright, 45 Commando Royal Marines, aged 22 from Glasgow, Lance Corporal Paul Muirhead, 1 Royal Irish Regiment, aged 29 from Bearley, Warwickshire, Lance Corporal Luke McCulloch, 1 Royal Irish Regiment, aged 21, Corporal Mark William Wright, 3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment, aged 27 from Edinburgh, Private Craig O'Donnell, The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 5th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland, aged 24 from Clydebank, Flight Lieutenant Steven Johnson, aged 38, from Collingham, Notts, Flight Lieutenant Leigh Anthony Mitchelmore, aged 28 from Bournemouth, Flight Lieutenant Gareth Rodney Nicholas, aged 40 from Redruth, Cornwall, Flight Lieutenant Allan James Squires, aged 39, from Clatterbridge, Flight Lieutenant Steven Swarbrick, aged 28 from Liverpool, Flight Sergeant Gary Wayne Andrews, aged 48 from Tankerton in Kent, Flight Sergeant Stephen Beattie, aged 42 from Dundee and Flight Sergeant Gerard Martin Bell, aged 48 from Ely, Cambridgeshire.
EDM 849
FATALITIES IN AFGHANISTAN (No. 4)
23.02.2009
Flynn, Paul
That this House salutes the bravery of the armed forces serving in Afghanistan and records with sorrow the deaths of Flight Sergeant Adrian Davies, aged 49 from Amersham, Bucks, Sergeant Benjamin James Knight, aged 25 from Bridgewater, Sergeant John Joseph Langton, aged 29 from Liverpool, Sergeant Gary Paul Quillian, aged 42 from Manchester, Corporal Oliver Simon Dicketts, the Parachute Regiment, Marine Joseph David Windall, Royal Marines, aged 22, Ranger Anare Draiva, 1 Royal Irish Regiment, aged 27 from Fiji, Lance Corporal Jonathan Peter Hetherington, 14 Signal Regiment (Electronic Welfare), aged 22 from South Wales, Corporal Bryan James Budd, 3rd Battalion the Parachute Regiment, aged 29 from Ripon, Lance Corporal Sean Tansey, The Life Guards, aged 26 from Washington, Tyne and Wear, Private Leigh Reeves, Royal Logistics Corps, aged 25 from Leicester, Private Andrew Barrie Cutts, Air Assaults Support Regiment, Royal Logistics Corps, aged 19 from Mansfield, Captain Alex Eida, Royal Horse Artillery, aged 29 from Surrey, Second Lieutenant Ralph Johnson, Household Cavalry Regiment, aged 24 from Windsor, Lance Corporal Ross Nicholls, Blues and Royals, aged 27 from Edinburgh, Private Damien Jackson, 3rd Battalion the Parachute Regiment, aged 19 from South Shields, Tyne and Wear, Corporal Peter Thorpe, Royal Signals, aged 27 from Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, Lance Corporal Jabron Hashmi, Intelligence Corps, aged 24 from Birmingham, Captain David Patten, the Parachute Regiment, aged 39, and Sergeant Paul Bartlett, Royal Marines, aged 35, and Captain Jim Philippson, 7 Parachute Regiment Royal Horse Artillery, aged 29 from St Albans in Hertfordshire.
EDM 850
FATALITIES IN AFGHANISTAN (No. 5)
23.02.2009
Flynn, Paul
That this House salutes the bravery of the armed forces serving in Afghanistan and records with sorrow the deaths of Lance Corporal Peter Edward Craddock, 1st Battalion The Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment, Corporal Mark Cridge, 7 Signal Regiment, aged 25, Lance Corporal Steven Sherwood, 1st Battalion, The Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Light Infantry, aged 23 from Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire, Private Jonathan Kitulagoda, the Rifle Volunteers, aged 23 from Clifton, Bedfordshire, Sergeant Robert Busuttil and Corporal John Gregory both from the Royal Logistics Corps and Private Darren John George, the Royal Anglian Regiment, Captain John McDermid, The Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, aged 43 from Glasgow, Trooper Jack Sadler, The Honourable Artillery Company, aged 21 from Exeter, Sergeant Lee Johnson, 2nd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment, aged 33 from Stockton-on-Tees, Corporal Darryl Gardiner, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, aged 25 from Salisbury, Wiltshire, Corporal Damian Stephen Lawrence, 2nd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howards), aged 25 from Whitby, Corporal Damian Mulvihill, 40 Commando Royal Marines, aged 32 from Plymouth, Lieutenant John Thornton, 40 Commando Royal Marines, aged 22 from Ferndown, Marine David Marsh, 40 Commando Royal Marines, aged 24 from Sheffield, Senior Aircraftman Graham Livingstone, Royal Air Force Regiment, aged 23 from Glasgow, Senior Aircraftman Gary Thompson, Royal Auxiliary Air Force Regiment, aged 51 from Nottingham, Trooper Robert Pearson, The Queen's Royal Lancers Regiment, aged 22 from Grimsby, and Trooper Ratu Sakeasi Babakobau, Household Cavalry Regiment, aged 29 from Fiji.
EDM 851
FATALITIES IN AFGHANISTAN (No. 6)
23.02.2009
Flynn, Paul
That this House salutes the bravery of the armed forces serving in Afghanistan and records with sorrow the deaths of James Thompson, Marine Dale Gostick, 22 from Oxford, Private Nathan Cuthbertson, aged 19 from Sunderland, Private Daniel Gamble, aged 22 from Uckfield, East Sussex, Private Charles David Murray, aged 19 from Carlisle, Lance Corporal James Bateman, from Staines, Middlesex and Private Jeff Doherty, from Southam, Warwickshire, Corporal Sarah Bryant, aged 26 of the Intelligence Corps, Corporal Sean Robert Reeve, aged 28, Royal Signals, Lance Corporal Richard Larkin, aged 39, Paul Stout, aged 31, a soldier from 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment, Warrant Officer 2nd Class Michael Norman Williams, 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment, aged 40 from Cardiff, Private Joe John Whittaker, 4th Battalion The Parachute Regiment, aged 20 from Stratford Upon Avon, Warrant Officer 2nd Class Dan Shirley, Air Assault Support Regiment, Royal Logistics Corps, aged 32 from Leicester, Lance Corporal James Johnson, B Company, 5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, aged 31 from Scotland, Corporal Jason Stuart Barnes, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, aged 25 from Exeter, Sergeant Jonathan Mathews, The Highlanders, 4th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland, aged 35 from Edinburgh, Private Peter Joe Cowton, 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment, aged 25 from Basingstoke, Signaller Wayne Bland, 16 Signal Regiment, aged 21 from Leeds, and Corporal Barry Dempsey, The Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland, aged 29 from Ayrshire.
EDM 852
FATALITIES IN AFGHANISTAN (No. 7)
23.02.2009
Flynn, Paul
That this House salutes the bravery of the armed forces serving in Afghanistan and records with sorrow the deaths of Ranger Justin James Cupples, 1st Battalion The Royal Irish Regiment, aged 29 from County Cavan, Ireland, Warrant Officer Class 2 Gary `Gaz' O'Donnell GM, 11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment Royal Logistic Corps, aged 40, from Edinburgh, Private Jason Lee Rawstron, 2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment aged 23 from Lancashire, Lance Corporal Nicky Mason, 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment, aged 26, from Aveley in Essex, Trooper James Munday, from D Squadron, the Household Cavalry, aged 21, from the Birmingham area, Rifleman Yubraj Rai, 2nd Battalion, The Royal Gurkha Rifles, aged 28, from Khotang district in eastern Nepal, Marine Neil David Dunstan, aged 32, from Bournemouth, Marine Robert Joseph McKibben, aged 32 from County Mayo, Colour Sergeant Krishnabahadur Dura, 2nd Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles, aged 36, from the Lamjung district of western Nepal, Marine Alexander Lucas, 45 Commando royal Marines, aged 24 from Edinburgh, Marine Tony Evans, 42 Commando Royal Marines aged 20 from Sunderland, Marine Georgie Sparks, 42 Commando Royal Marines, aged 19 from Epping, Marine Damian Davies, aged 27, Sergeant John Manuel, aged 38 from North East England, Corporal Marc Birch, aged 26 from Northampton, Lance Corporal Steven `Jamie' Fellows, 45 Commando Royal Marines, aged 28 from Sheffield, and Lieutenant Aaron Lewis, 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery, aged 26 from Essex.
EDM 853
FATALITIES IN AFGHANISTAN (No. 8)
23.02.2009
Flynn, Paul
That this House salutes the bravery of the armed forces serving in Afghanistan and records with sorrow the deaths of Rifleman Stuart Nash, 1st Battalion The Rifles, aged 21 from Sydney, Australia, Corporal Robert Deering from the Commando Logistic Regiment Royal Marines, aged 33 from Solihull, Lance Corporal Benjamin Whatley, 42 Commando Royal Marines, aged 20 from King's Lynn, Corporal Liam Elms RM, 45 Commando Royal Marines, aged 26 from Wigan, Sergeant Chris Reed, 6th Battalion The Rifles, aged 25 from Plymouth, Marine Travis Mackin, Communications Squadron, United Kingdom Landing Force Command Support Group, aged 22 from Plymouth, Captain Tom Sawyer, 45 Commando Royal Marines, aged 26 from Hertfordshire, Corporal Danny Winter, 45 Commando Royal Marines, aged 28 from Stockport, Acting Corporal Richard `Robbo' Robinson, 1st Battalion The Rifles, aged 21 from Cornwall, Corporal Daniel `Danny' Nield, 1st Battalion, The Rifles, aged 31 from Cheltenham, and Marine Darren `Daz' Smith, 45 Commando Royal Marines, aged 27 from Fleetwood, Lancashire, and Lance Corporal Stephen `Schnoz' Kingscott, 1st Battalion The Rifles, aged 22 from Plymouth.
Thanks Patrick.
I believe you are right. There may be a strong moral case against Bush and Blair for the International Criminal Court. The court, however, was set up to deal with cases of genocide by lawless rulers. It's unlikely that leaders who were backed by majority vote in democratic parliaments would ever appear before it.
Posted by: Paul Flynn | February 27, 2009 at 07:47 PM
We should be doing the right thing for its own sake not because the CWU is bankrolling the party. I can assure neither the CWU or anyone else is bankrolling me.
Posted by: Paul Flynn | February 27, 2009 at 07:42 PM
One other thing, Paul: If Mandy thinks Royal Mail needs outside "better" management, why on earth are we paying Crozier £3 million a year, and have done so for several years now?
Posted by: Graham Marlowe | February 26, 2009 at 01:15 PM
I hope, Paul, that the CWU do ballot their members and that their decision is to stop giving money to New Labour.
It was always a mistake to bring this odious unelected man back into government - we both know how devisive a figure he has always been, and also, we know we are in receipt of soiled goods - his past indiscretions makes him the wrong man for business secretary. One can only assume that when Brown panicked last autumn, he must have done so while the balance of his mind was disturbed.
Posted by: Graham Marlowe | February 26, 2009 at 01:12 PM
PF
I agree entirely with your edm.
Had your research staff included the names of all the victims of the Iraq and Afghan wars then it would be a full time and ongoing job.
I have every respect for British troops and their families but let's not forget that there are over a Million people dead in total and increasing daily.
Never mind about a political party suffering in the polls, when are Bush and Blair going to be arrested and sentenced for starting this circus with spin and lies?
(Blair is at present ponsing around the USA 'doing god'.Let's hope it's a just god then at least he will be in eternal fire).
Over a Million deaths, Billions of pounds wasted during a world financial crisis in a war based on lies (sorry ,oil) and it continues ....
At least you would think that in the 21st c and with a great democratic Labour government you could at least find out what happened in meetings prior to the start.
Maybe Jack Straw was just having a bad day, no doubt he will let us know soon!
Posted by: patrick | February 26, 2009 at 09:02 AM
Graham. thanks for your first comment.
On the second one you are wrong. The part-privatisation has been expected to be this week for a long time. I had calls from the press on the Royal mail every day this week.
Posted by: Paul Flynn | February 26, 2009 at 08:33 AM
The death of a child must be the most devestating and terrible thing. Especially as in the case of both Mr & Mrs Cameron and Mr and Mrs Brown they are in the public eye and are under constant scrutiny.
Let's hope the press don't intrude upon their grief, and that they find some comfort in the very genuine expressions of sympathy that has been expressed.
I want to leave a space between that paragraph and the next, for I feel genuine sympathy for anyone, whomever they are in those circumstances, but i would like to mention aanother matter:
Yesterday, while attention was naturally drawn away from parliamentary business to the terrible plight of the Camerons, New Labour pulled another of their revoltingly transparent "Jo Moore" tricks, and Mandelson announced, a day early, his proposals to "part" privatise Royal Mail. I agree with Lord Taylor (Labour) who called out to him "Shame on you".
He just couldn't wait - a day early he drags this explosive, devisive bill into life. A typical New KLabour trick. A typical Mandy trick.
What is it with this man? - this unelected guttersnipe and his privatisation fetish?
We all know who the favourite bidder is?. I wonder how many New Labour gtypes have shares in TNT?
Posted by: Graham Marlowe | February 26, 2009 at 05:03 AM