Labour MP for Erith & Thamesmead

Teresa Pearce MP


Paul Maynard MP

Posted on February 06, 2011 by Teresa Pearce

I was surprised to read Paul Maynard’s comments in The Times where he says he believes Labour MP’s ridiculed his disability.

First I would say that its possible for the House Authorities to review the footage of that evenings debate and to see if this happened. If it did then those responsible should be firmly held to account.

Second I remember the debate very well as my daughter had gone into labour that night with her first baby and I wanted to leave the Commons but the whips would not hear of it so I was in the Chamber listening to the debate on Child Trust Funds. In fact I spoke directly after Mr Maynard and I do remember it was highly charged as Mr Maynard began his speech with a personal comment about the previous speaker and then went on to be down right rude to a number of MPs.

So I think if he thought people were not being nice to him then he is probably right but was it because of his disability of because of his attitude? I would very much like to the Speaker to look at the footage and find out.

Please read the debate for yourself and see what you think. Paul begins to speak at  6.35 and continues until 6.54 http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm101026/debtext/101026-0002.htm

8 to “Paul Maynard MP”

  1. Jim says:

    “I do remember it was highly charged as Mr Maynard began his speech with a personal comment about the previous speaker and then went on to be down right rude to a number of MPs.”

    No, he didn’t – the transcript you link to shows that he made a political comment about an opponent.

    If you think Paul Maynard was being rude to members, perhaps you should consider that he might have just been combative in the face of such patronising and discourteous behaviour from your colleagues? Added to that the bullying from your colleagues and the frustration that clearly shows through on the clip of this debate is understandable.

    Sadly, the deflection of “was it his disability…?” just shows how little you and your colleagues have learned about admitting to mistakes and apologising since being booted out. The hypocrisy of Labour villifying its opponents as nasty bigots is dazzling.

  2. Thank you for your comments Jim

  3. Ian says:

    I read with interest your comment that effectively the whips wouldn’t allow you to leave even though your daughter had gone into labour. Isn’t this indicative of what is wrong with the current system. Why does somebody not just stand up to the whips.

    PS trust the birth all went well.

  4. I do think discipline is important but sometimes its like being at primary school. Yes the birth went well a little girl called Isabella. She is a delight.

  5. Dr Paul Buddery says:

    I can find nothing in the transcript to justify your statement that:

    “In fact I spoke directly after Mr Maynard and I do remember it was highly charged as Mr Maynard began his speech with a personal comment about the previous speaker and then went on to be down right rude to a number of MPs.”

    Perhaps you could highlight what you consider to constitute being “down right rude”.

    Quite frankly, your post comes across as a weak attempt to excuse reprehensible behaviour from some of your fellow Labour MPs against someone with a disability.

  6. Sorry you feel that way. What I was saying is that it is easy to prove what actually happened as the whole of the chamber is on camera. I think those cameras should be reviewed and anyone who mocked a disability should be dealt with. Its inexecusable.

    I serve on a committee with Paul Maynard and he is an exceptional person and to have achieved what he has is amazing.

    There is an etiquette in the chamber that is odd and antiquated but its the etiquette non the less. The “giving way” etc has a format to it and Paul seemed to take great offence at being asked to “give way” and told members they were ill mannered and also patronising. I was there and they were neither.

    I know that Paul is more than able to handle the chamber but that said I still think that the cameras should be reviewed.

  7. Dr Paul Buddery says:

    The Deputy Speaker seemed to feel that he’d done enough giving way:

    Mr Deputy Speaker: “Order. The hon. Gentleman has given way quite a lot, and if he does not wish to give way now, hon. Members must accept it.”

  8. Please read what I wrote and not what you hope I wrote. I did not say that he did nt give way I said he took offence at being asked to give way.

    According to your email address you are in Australia/New Zealand. Next time you are in UK please get in touch and I will get you into the public gallery so we can discuss the strangeness of the how the chamber behaves.






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