PAUL MURPHY MP

THIS WAS THE MP STEPHEN NOTT CONTACTED TO INFORM HIM OF THE PHONE HACKING COVER UP. PAUL MURPHY MP DID NOT WANT TO KNOW, HE TOLD MR NOTT THAT IT WAS NONE OF HIS BUSINESS. WHICH I FIND VERY ODD, BECAUSE I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT CRIMINAL ACTIVITY WAS VERY MUCH THE BUSINESS OF A GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVE!

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THE LEVESON INQUIRY - WITNESS STATEMENT OF STEPHEN NOTT:

"15. I called my Member of Parliament, Paul Murphy. He did not want to know and
said it had nothing to do with him. This was in ,early 2000"

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Paul Peter Murphy, KCMCO, KSG (born 25 November 1948) is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Torfaen since 1987, and served in the Cabinet as both Northern Irish and Welsh Secretary. Murphy has previously held the position of Minister of State for Northern Ireland from February 1997 until 1999. He held this position shortly before being promoted to Secretary of State for Wales.

Murphy, who supports Arsenal, was born to the late, Ronald Murphy and his wife, Marjorie Murphy; he also has a younger brother. Murphy's late father was a miner, and originated from Ireland.[1][2] The family were devout Catholic, and Murphy considers himself a devout Catholic. Murphy's late mother was from England, and came from a family of small businessmen. His Mother's mother was one of seventeen children.[3] Murphy attended St Francis Roman Catholic School in Abersychan, West Monmouth School in Pontypool. He later attended Oriel College, Oxford, to study History.[4] His leisure interests include classical music, cooking and reading. Murphy has never married, and remains a bachelor. He once said in an interview "I have so many books, theres only enough room for me".[5] Murphy has one younger brother, Neil Murphy - a nephew, Daniel and a niece, Rachel.

He was a management trainee with the CWS, before becoming a lecturer in Government and History at Ebbw Vale College of Further Education, now known as Coleg Gwent.

He is Roman Catholic. He was made a Knight Commander of Merit with Star of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George "for helping to promote peace in Northern Ireland" (KCMCO). He is also a Knight of the Pontifical Order of Saint Gregory the Great (KSG).

Murphy is an Honorary Fellow of Oriel College in 2000. He is also a Visiting Parliamentary Fellow of St. Antony's College, Oxford.

[edit] Early political career

Murphy joined the Labour Party at the age of 15. He is also a member of the Transport and General Workers Union. He was Secretary of the Pontypool/Torfaen Constituency Labour Party from 1971 to 1987. Paul was a member of Torfaen Council from 1973 to 1987 and was Chair of its Finance Committee from 1976 to 1986. He contested Wells Constituency in Somerset in the 1979 General Election. Murphy later became Leo Abse's agent.

[edit] Senior Cabinet posts

He has been MP for Torfaen, Wales since the 1987 election. In opposition he served as a foreign affairs spokesperson and then in defence as navy spokesperson.

He was has served twice as Secretary of State for Wales on 28 July 1999 to 24 October 2002[6][7] and again from 2008 to 2009.[8] He was Secretary of State for Northern Ireland from 24 October 2002 to 5 May 2005. He was appointed to the Privy Council in 1999.

He was succeeded by Peter Hain and left the government, becoming chairman of the Intelligence and Security Committee in May 2005. He was also British Chair of the British-Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body and an Executive Committee member of the British-American Parliamentary Group. Murphy has admitted he thoroughly enjoyed this role.

He was re-appointed Secretary of State for Wales on 24 January 2008, following the resignation of Peter Hain. He was also given the job of chairing a new Cabinet Committee on the sensitive issue of IT and information security, in the wake of a rash of scandals surrounding the loss of personal data by Government agencies. In April 2008 he was appointed as the Government's Minister for Digital Inclusion.

Prior to joining the Cabinet he was Minister of State for political development in the Northern Ireland Office from 1997 to 1999 - acting as Mo Mowlam's deputy - and was largely responsible for negotiating the so-called strand two ('North-South' or 'Island of Ireland') arrangements agreed in the Good Friday Agreement. In 1999, he was named 'Minister to Watch' at the Spectator Parliamentary Awards. Murphy has been cited as a "Safe pair of hands", by Gordon Brown, and Tony Blair.

David Davies, MP for Monmouth once said: "Paul Murphy is clearly a very experienced member of parliament and whilst I and my colleagues will disagree with his policies and his government's policies and will certainly take him to task for that, he's a man who is, I think I probably can say, is widely respected on all sides of the House of Commons." (After hearing Murphy had been asked to become Secretary of State for Wales.[9]

[edit] Voting Record

In 1979 Murphy was a fierce opponent of Devolution.[10] Murphy recently said "I have been trying to work out whether or not I am a devo-sceptic and I have come to the conclusion that I am not. In 1978, I was a devo-opponent, and in 1997 I voted for devolution. My constituents agreed with me in 1978, but they did not agree with me in 1997, because they voted against a Welsh Assembly on both occasions. However, I would rather describe myself as a devo-realist, in the sense that what is here is here. I am not all that keen on a coalition in Cardiff, but we are where we are, and we have to work in the current political climate for the benefit of the people whom we represent, whether we are Members of Parliament, Assembly Members or members of local authorities".[11]

In a free parliamentary vote on 20 May 2008, Paul Murphy voted for cutting the upper limit for abortions from 24 to 12 weeks, along with two other Catholic cabinet ministers Ruth Kelly and Des Browne.[12][13]

[edit] Parliamentary Expenses

Murphy was subject to criticism over his expenses claims, revealed by the Daily Telegraph during the United Kingdom Parliamentary expenses scandal. Most notable of these was his £3,419.25 claim to have a new boiler installed in his Westminster house, stating that the previous one was a hazard as "The hot water was far too hot".[14] Other claims submitted by Paul Murphy relate to purchases of a Toilet Roll holder, new carpeting and a television, as well as mortgage payments and stamp duty. Although, his expenses were not accurately reflected by newspapers, his total expense claim per year, was much lower than the majority of MPs. This was further proved by the fact he had to pay no money back after further analysis of his claims. He was, and still is, highly regarded as an MP across the parties and was approached to stand for speaker, although he refused to carry this forward.[15][16] Murphy has now been ordered to repay some of the money he "claimed" back. He has to pay back £2,237.72 in cleaning costs, mortgage payments and a wardrobe that exceeded the guideline price.

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http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=british-american%20parliamentary%20group&source=web&cd=1&sqi=2&ved=0CB0QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bapg.org.uk%2F&ei=X9nxTo2OPMWphAfg7o20AQ&usg=AFQjCNHsc33f1J24fhXZXi5E0EEOEf7dog&sig2=CHtAmeHPqrgWgLEKX7wM_Q

Sadly, the Group's records do not contain details of the meetings that brought about the formation of the British-American Parliamentary Group.

We do know from Sir John Graham's book "Ditchley Park" that the group was founded in 1937 by Ronald Tree, a Conservative back-bench Member of Parliament for Market Harborough 1933-1945 and Anglo-American, together with fellow back bencher Hamilton Kerr, MP. They were "instrumental in setting up an all-party American Committee which was able to do sterling work both before and during the war in extending the extraordinary limited knowledge of the United States at that time within the British Parliament and elsewhere".

In Sir Roger Moate's (former Honorary Secretary) chronicle of the group from 1941, he discloses that in the Group's early years its history was intertwined with the Empire Parliamentary Association, later to become the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.

The Government undertook funding of the Group during the Second World War.

The Group’s Objectives, Activities and Rules were formally adopted on 5 July 1967 and have since been subject to minor amendments in 1968, 1981, 1982, 1996, 2000, 2003, 2007, 2008 and 2009.

Rules & Objectives
The Group’s Objectives, Activities and Rules were formally adopted on 5 July 1967 and have since been subject to minor amendments in 1968, 1981, 1982, 1996, 2000, 2003, 2007, 2008 and 2009.


1.
The objects of the British-American Parliamentary Group are to promote friendly relations and mutual understanding between Members of both Houses of Parliament of the United Kingdom and Members of both Houses of Congress of the United States of America; to discuss problems common to the United Kingdom and the United States; to exchange courtesies and to provide opportunities for discussion with Senators, members of the House of Representatives, and other distinguished citizens of the United States; and to arrange for the exchange of visits and information between legislators of both countries.




2.
Any member of the House of Lords or House of Commons is eligible for membership of the Group and shall become a member on setting up a Standing Order for an Annual Subscription or on paying a Life Subscription.




3.
The Annual Subscription shall be not less than £5.00 (five pounds), payable upon joining and thereafter on 1 April in each year. Any member may opt to pay a Life Subscription of £40 (forty pounds), subject to the other Rules of the Group.

N.B. When members leave either House their subscription becomes forfeit. If the member subsequently returns to either House, a Life Subscription would become re-activated.




4.
Any members ceasing to be a Member of either House of Parliament shall cease to be a member of the Group.




5.
The Speaker of the House of Commons and the Lord Speaker shall be ex-officio Honorary Joint Presidents of the Group, subject to ratification at each Annual General Meeting.




6.
Members of either House shall be eligible for election at the Annual General Meeting of the Group as Vice-Presidents on the nomination of the Executive Committee and shall hold office till the next Annual General Meeting.




7.
The management of the Group shall be vested in the Executive Committee.




8(a)
The Executive Committee shall consist of not more than 18 Members, who shall be elected each year at the Annual General Meeting. There will be two separate ballots to elect 12 members from the House of Commons, of which six members from the Government Party and six members from the Opposition Parties who receive the most votes being declared elected, and six members elected to represent the House of Lords, the proportion of which is to be determined by the Lord Speaker and the representatives of the parties and groups in the House. In addition, the Executive Committee may co-opt not more than four other Members who shall hold office until the following Annual General Meeting.




8(b)
The Joint Honorary Treasurers and the Honorary Secretary shall each be nominated by the Executive, ratified each year at the AGM, and shall be additional members of the Executive Committee with full voting rights.

The Honorary Secretary shall be eligible to continue in that office for a maximum of eight consecutive years.




8(c)
Nominations for election to the Executive Committee shall be proposed and seconded by members of the Group and shall reach the office of the Group not less than seven days before the Annual General Meeting.




8(d)
The Executive Committee shall meet, when summoned by the Honorary Secretary, or at the request of either of the Joint Vice-Chairmen or of any six members, not fewer than four times between one year's AGM and the next.




8(e)
At all meetings of the Executive Committee, six members shall form a quorum.




8(f)
The Honorary Chairman shall be the Prime Minister, subject to ratification at each AGM.

The Executive Committee shall nominate two Vice-Chairmen, preferably of Ministerial and Shadow Ministerial office, for up to three years, subject to ratification at each AGM. The Senior Vice-Chairman shall be the Vice-Chairman who is a member of the Party in Government. No Vice-Chairman shall be eligible to continue in that office for more than three consecutive years. The Vice-Chairman or Vice-Chairmen vacating office under this rule shall not be eligible for re-election to that office for two years after vacating such office.




8(g)
The Executive Committee may fill any casual vacancy occurring amongst the Officers or Committee by appointing a suitable and qualified member of the Group, of the same Party and the same House as the person causing the vacancy.

Any person so appointed shall hold office until the Annual General Meeting then next ensuing.




9
The Duties of the Executive Committee shall include:





(a) The Group's programme of activity;





(b) Ensure that the selection of participants in delegations is balanced and reasonable;





(c) The promotion of membership of the Group;





(d) The control of the expenditure of the Group's funds;





(e) The appointment of a paid Administrator, whose duties shall be to co-operate with the Officers and Executive Committee in carrying out their duties;




(f) The Duties of the Executive Committee shall include the execution of the Group’s affairs in accordance with the Financial Memorandum setting out the aims and objectives of the British-American Parliamentary Group and describing the administrative and financial arrangements for the Group’s activities and its relationship with the House of Commons Commission and the House of Lords House Committee.








10
The Annual General Meeting of the Group shall be held at such time and place as the Executive Committee may appoint.

(a) Twenty members shall form a quorum.

(b) The Executive Committee shall submit to the Annual General Meeting a report of their proceedings and a statement of the receipts and expenditure in the past year.

(c) Notice of the Annual General Meeting of the Group, together with an Agenda and copies of the Annual Report and Accounts, shall be posted to every member not less than fourteen days before the day appointed for such a meeting.

(d) At least seven days' notice of any motion not mentioned on the Agenda to be brought up at the Annual General Meeting shall be given to the Executive Committee.

(e) Any election of Officers must be advertised on the All Party Notices not less than seven days beforehand.




11
A Special General Meeting of the Group may be summoned at any time and place by the Executive Committee to consider and determine any matter of interest and importance that may arise and also by the Honorary Secretary in accordance with Rule 12(b) and 12 (c). If a requisition in writing of not less than twenty members, stating the object for which the meeting is demanded, shall reach the Executive Committee, the Executive Committee shall summon a Special General Meeting to be held not less than twenty-one days and not more than thirty days from the receipt of such a requisition. The provisions of Rule 10(c) and 10(d) shall, so far as is practicable, apply to Special General Meetings.




12
In the event of a General Election:

(a) The re-elected members of the Executive Committee who were in office on the date of the dissolution of Parliament shall carry on the affairs of the Group until the next Annual General Meeting. In the event of any of the Officers not being re-elected, the Executive Committee, as then constituted, shall nominate a member or members of the Executive Committee to act in their place until the election of Officers takes place at the next Annual General Meeting;

(b) In the event of fewer than six members of the Executive Committee being re-elected, the Honorary Secretary (or other eligible Officer should the Honorary Secretary not be re-elected) shall take immediate steps to arrange for the election of a new Executive Committee and will call a Special General Meeting of the Group for this purpose;

(c) When the results of the elections held by virtue of Rule 12 (b) are known, those Officers and members of the Executive Committee still eligible for membership of the Group shall, with the exception of the ex-officio Officers, Vice-Presidents, and Honorary Secretary, retire forthwith unless re-elected to office.




13
Any amendment to these Rules shall be made by simple majority at the Annual General Meeting of the Group provided that notice of the amendment shall be included in the notice summoning the meeting.




14
In the event of the interpretation of any of the foregoing rules being in doubt or in the event of a situation arising which is not apparently covered by any of the rules, it will be for the Senior Vice-Chairman of the Executive Committee to decide what to do and the ruling will remain operative unless and until rejected at the next Annual General Meeting.

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I wonder if this group had anything to do with the disgraceful decision to award the collecting of intimate and private details of all the citizens of the UK, including their sex lives and details about their health, by force, to the same American company that produces some of the most terrible weapons mankind has ever invented? Incidentally, the same parent company that invited a paedophile called Richard Gardner to the UK to lecture on child protection!!!

Well well well! No wonder this MP wanted to stick his fingers in his ears when a member of the public tried to inform him about widespread data crime!

And Stuart Syvret is in La Moye prison - for what?

To use his words, YOU COULD NOT MAKE IT UP!