Good news, negatived again.

It should have been a good news story of a new Shadow Cabinet- complete with all posts filled and no-one double or treble jobbing. Many fresh talents are included.Some are MPs who were elected in 2015. The number of women in top roles and the percentage of ethnic minorities is at record levels. Several who had resigned from the front-bench have now returned. They have earned our thanks and congratulations. It is what I pleaded for at Conference in Liverpool. If I get a chance I will congratulating them at the PLP. It took guts to leave and unselfish courage to return.

Sadly the media reaction was foul. There was not a single favourable headline from any part of the media. All led on the complaint from the Chair of the PLP. Another potentially good news story had been negatived. The thunderous message from conference was to Give Unity a Chance. Could we for once be wise and avoid self-harm? Is it possible to return to the days when we led the agenda on positive items that enjoyed majority public support? It’s astonishing that we have not learnt that lesson.

Threat of empty bench

Some people are aggrieved with the reshuffle. I am not ecstatic but I will remain silent on the irritating details to avoid setting another hare running. I have congratulated my two splendid friends Valerie Vaz and Jo Stevens who take on the two portfolios that I held for four months. Both will do well-far better than I could have done alone. I am doing all I can to help them settle down in the first difficult weeks of their new briefs.

I had little choice in accepting these jobs in June. It was either me or an empty bench that would have been populated by the SNP or Plaid Cymru - the ultimate humiliation for an elected majority opposition party. The notice given to me for one was a few hours, the other a few days. It’s been exiting. My staff, Sam, Cathy, Rhys and Matthew have risen magnificently to the challenge of two new jobs that were dumped on them. There is a relief that the work of getting the Welsh Bill through and making some fresh points at Business Question went reasonably well. We all feel the experience, that no-one of us sought or wanted, was worthwhile and thoroughly enjoyable. Carolyn Harris was my helpful companion on the Welsh front-bench and Andy MacDonald a constant presence during Business Questions. Many thanks. The two jobs ended as swiftly as they began with a brief phone-call. There are many unique attractions for the backbencher which I look forward to with relish. 

Tory made crisis

Now I am looking forward to the bliss of backbenches and freedom of asking my own questions at Select Committees and in the House. The Tories suggest a few Brexit 'bumps in the road'. It will be far worse. There is giant sinkhole ahead that the UK economy will fall into. This is no USA sub-prime created crisis as 2008. It was UK Tory-orginated and Tory bungled. The blame must be securely fixed on them. Today I spent chatting with constituents. Trust in Labour is deeply rooted in Newport. Local people know well and trust our full team of AMs and MPs. But they are puzzled and worried by the picture of a divided party that the media present. Ever the optimist I hoped that the Liverpool Conference would have been a turning point in abandoning divisions.

Alas. Not yet.

ITV Wales wrote this very fair accurate account of my position

Paul Flynn last spoke at a Labour conference in 1981 -and first campaigned for Labour in 1945 Photo: PA

Paul Flynn, the 81 year old who replaced two other Welsh MPs during the mass resignation from the Shadow Cabinet, says there must be a way for Jeremy Corbyn's opponents to return to the front bench "with dignity and respect".

Mr Flynn is both Shadow Welsh Secretary and Shadow Leader of the House of Commons. He used his first Labour party conference speech since 1981 to disagree with Unite boss Len McCluskey's suggestion that the Labour leader's critics should "depart the field".

Len McCluskey made a speech for unity yesterday but there is one phrase in it - the one that he stole from Shakespeare - that I must disagree with, because he did say 'some should depart the field'.

No, no, no.

We've got some of our best people sitting on the subs bench, you don't score goals from the subs bench.

Some resigned, they all did for honourable reasons. It took courage for many of them to resign, it's going to take greater courage for many of them to come back and we must make it possible for them to return with dignity and respect.

– Paul Flynn, Labour MP for Newport West

Mr Flynn added that Labour's "gap year of negativity" must end.

It seemed at times a competition to see who could be the most pessimistic about our future and our prospects - we've got to end that.

It's time to now to give unity a chance. Take all the bile and the hatred together, put it in a box, bury it deep underground, put six feet of concrete on top and then put a sign saying 'never should the last 12 months be unearthed from its dishonest grave'.

– Paul Flynn, Labour MP for Newport West

Mr Flynn, who's been MP for Newport West since 1987, thanked Jeremy Corbyn for his "job creation scheme for geriatrics". He replaced Llanelli MP Nia Griffith as Shadow Welsh Secretary and Rhondda MP Chris Bryant as Shadow Leader of the House of Commons. Ms Griffith has said that she is now prepared to return to the front bench.

Mr Flynn recalled handing out Labour leaflets as a 10 year old in Cardiff South in the 1945 General Election. His mother told him that a candidate with an Irish name would never win a Welsh seat but the candidate, the future Prime Minister James Callaghan, proved her wrong -and so subsequently did Paul Flynn himself.

Comments

[Paul Flynn]

Its because reconciliation and unity is the only alternative to political suicide.

Paul Flynn MP

M.P.Newport West,
A.S.Casnewydd,

01633 262 348/ 0788 792 5699/ 020 7219 3478

Twitter: @paulflynnmp

www.paulflynnmp.co.uk

Blog: paulflynnmp.co.uk

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I don't see the point in welcoming them back if they remain committed to undermining the leadership. There needs to be some consensus first. A divided party is useless. It would be a good move to get the arguments out of the way and realise that for the foreseeable future Corbyn and his team aren't going away as the electorate have decided.

The party is in bad shape but that's not on Corbyn. Blaming Corbyn for this is getting it backwards. Its not what he wants. They jumped ship and left the likes of you, Paul, to clear up the mess. Its been quite underhanded if I'm honest. Most people see that so I'm not aggravating the wound, just saying the obvious. Things change. The right wing does not get to try and dictate. They've lost the last two elections in a shambolic fashion. Why is that? Could it be that the party has lost purpose, distinctiveness and a direction which answers the electorate rather than corralling them? Is it not the case that people AREN'T led by the nose and can see careerists, soundbites and austerity for the poor for what it is, a rip off? They are running down a dead end. They inhabit a bubble alongside the upper class. There is so much to say about their attitude, I don't pretend I can do it justice.

The interests of the majority should come before those who guard their privilege. Accumulated wealth doesn't give them a right to fix the country's institutions in their own favour. They may attempt it but we shouldn't be reticent in challenging them. They and the media they control will complain and block any attempt at reform and improvement. The Labour right deceive by alluding to fairness and equality with empty words and little regard for it in their actions. Prosperity for the few and inequality doesn't work for the rest of us. Why should we follow that route?

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Same old from Labour. Its fun to watch them being dragged kicking and screaming leftwards though.

People do still have some confidence in them and by extension the leader. Its 2016, now is the time to formulate policies and arguments. They haven't even tried. They've stood two suggestions and both failed. Anybody can list Corbyn's strengths. Not many recent party leaders can claim that. Why not build on that instead of standing people that Labour voters are not interested in? It looks hysterical this 'can't move leftwards' attitude.

[Debbie Wilcox]

Great article Paul - highlighting the hazards that lie ahead as we march relentlessly forwards - I also trust the judgement of the good people of our city and I hope that they can see that a competent Labour-led City Council will continue to perform for them next May and beyond. The national machinations continue but we have delivered and will continue to deliver for the people who need us to put their needs and aspirations first. Our mantra is " Together for Newport" and " Building a Better City"

[rwendland]

Very well done in your large contribution to supporting the party through this difficult period. And congratulations in finding yourself a little more spare time now!

Now that you have had the very briefest of a breather, I wondered if you are considering an incisive PQ to try to work out if the RAF officers assisting the Saudis by "training the Saudis to comply with the international rules of war" knew about the possibility of an attack on the funeral hall in Sanaa?

I see that the BBC is reporting "ICRC's Rima Kamal told the BBC "several air strikes" had hit the venue where hundreds of civilians had been present."