00:00Now, some very sad news. A former MEP and journalist and very familiar face here on GB News, Patrick O'Flynn, has died at the age of 59.
00:09Let's talk to GB News political editor Christopher Hope.
00:11Christopher, you and I knew Patrick for many years, a great journalist, a proud out Eurosceptic Brexiteer, died far too young at only 59.
00:22Yeah, that's right, Andrew and Bev. Yeah, Patrick O'Flynn, well known to our viewers and listeners at GB News.
00:30He went to the doctor, we understand, feeling a bit ill a few weeks ago, was told he had advanced stage four liver cancer, was given weeks to live and died yesterday, aged 59.
00:42Huge shock in the building behind me that you'll see me on screen there on one of his many appearances on GB News.
00:48He, of course, was a columnist of The Express for 20 years, who was The Daily Express's political editor, wrote a really searing column of political analysis.
00:58He then became a UKIP MEP, of course, one of Nigel Farage's earlier parties, 2014 to 2019.
01:06Nigel Farage himself has said he's a great journalist, a great thinker, a great patriot, a titan of our joint cause.
01:13On the Conservative side, Boris Johnson said of him, a truly original journalist who grasped the cause of much of our current discontent.
01:21Kemi Badenoch said that Patrick O'Flynn would message her with thoughts on politics that agree on substance, she said, but not an argue over tactics.
01:32And Robert Jenrick, the shadow Justice Secretary, he saw the immigration betrayal and the long shadow it cast, Jenrick said about Patrick O'Flynn.
01:40Great shock, a great reminder on all of us to look after our health, get checked by doctors when you need to, don't wait for it.
01:49But a huge shock here, a great thinker of the right, an important person, the GB News viewers and listeners, and for our political system, died yesterday.
01:58All right, Chris, thanks for that.
02:00Chris Tope talking about Patrick O'Flynn.
02:01I don't know how long, Patrick, 20 years probably, knowing Westminster.
02:05Just one of the nice guys.
02:07Really nice.
02:07I only met him a few times in here in the studio, but was very familiar with his work.
02:12He has a wife, Carol Ann, and a son and a daughter.
02:17So our thoughts and compassion go out to his family today.
02:21And he did nothing in excess.
02:24He wasn't a big boozer or smoker.
02:26He's just very sad.
02:28Yeah, really sad.
02:29Very shocking.
02:29I heard at the weekend he was ill, but didn't know it was going to be so quick.
02:33So rest in peace, Patrick, and our thoughts to the family.
Comments