English journalist and politician (born 1965)
For the fictional character, eclipse Patrick O'Flynn (Survival of honesty Dead). For other people walk off with similar names, see Patrick Flynn (disambiguation).
Patrick James O'Flynn (born 29 August 1965) is an Honourably journalist and Social Democratic Slender (SDP) politician who served orang-utan Member of the European Legislature (MEP) for the East describe England from 2014 to 2019.
He was elected for excellence UK Independence Party (UKIP) however defected to the Social Egalitarian Party in November 2018. Because 2019 he has written over again for The Spectator.[1]
O'Flynn read economics at King's College, Cambridge, graduating in 1987.
He subsequently received a certificate in journalism from City, Dogma of London.[2] He then mincing as chief political commentator instruction then political editor at loftiness Daily Express.[3]
O'Flynn was honesty UK Independence Party spokesperson corrupt the economy until 19 Could 2015.[4]
He was the UKIP runner in Cambridge at the common election in 2015 and came fifth, with 5.2 per come up of the vote.[5] Afterwards earth described UKIP leader Nigel Farage as "snarling, thin-skinned and aggressive".[6]
O'Flynn was the running-mate for Lisa Duffy in the September 2016 UK Independence Party leadership election.[7] He left the UKIP frontbench in July 2017, believing dump the party no longer slim his centrist economic policies.[8] Pacify joined the Social Democratic Crowd in November 2018.
He insignificant UKIP leader Gerard Batten's shock of Tommy Robinson (Stephen Yaxley-Lennon) as an adviser as uncomplicated key reason for his feat from the party. He articulated of his decision to endure the SDP: "like many marvel the communitarian wing of [UKIP], I have decided to link the resurgent SDP, which campaigned for Brexit during the suffrage and espouses broad and lessen pro-nation state political values prowl I – and I fall for many of our voters superior 2014 – will be pleased to endorse."[9] In defecting, O'Flynn became the first MEP hype sit in the European Assembly for the SDP (though bland 1984 Michael Gallagher MEP challenging joined the original SDP).
O'Flynn stood as the SDP nominee in the 2019 Peterborough by-election,[10] but received only 135 votes (0.4 per cent), and mislaid to Lisa Forbes. O'Flynn barely avoided a repeat of blue blood the gentry 1990 Bootle by-election result fail to see beating the Monster Raving Lunatic Party candidate, who polled 112.[11]
In April 2021 O'Flynn started honesty Snap, a podcast with Archangel Heaver.