Stephen Flynn: ‘I was always in pain’ before major hip operation

The SNP’s Westminster leader Stephen Flynn has recalled how much of his youth were spent in pain on adult wards in hospitals after collapsing as a teenager.

In an exclusive interview with Holyrood, Flynn told of how he collapsed while at school at age 13 or 14, and had to drag himself along the floor before phoning for help.

He said: “When I first went to hospital I was in an adult ward because there was no space on the kids’ ward, and it was pretty grim… I was worried, I was just a kid, I didn’t know what was wrong with me, and I was in a pretty scary environment.”

The MP for Aberdeen South was later diagnosed the avascular necrosis, a condition which causes the death of bone tissue due to a lack of blood supply.

He had a successful hip replacement operation in 2020, less than a year after being first elected in December 2019.

He said: “I was always in pain; I was in pain when I first got elected down here. Travelling was always uncomfortable, just trying to sit comfortably.

“The first time I lived without pain was probably about three or four months after my hip operation, I had been in pain pretty much my entire adult life, but I never wanted it to define who I was or who I could become.”

The MP was recently elected as leader of the SNP Westminster group, seeing off a challenge from Alison Thewliss.

He took over from Ian Blackford who had held the role for five years.

Flynn denied rumours that he was behind Blackford’s decision to quit and reports that he was intending to stand against Blackford in the weeks before the group’s AGM.

He also dismissed suggestions that he and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon were at loggerheads over the focus on the independence campaign.

On taking over at Westminster, he said: “This group of MPs is so talented, some of the folk down here and their knowledge and expertise, and skills, is amazing. I was in awe of some of them when I first came down here and had the opportunity to work with them, and I still am.

“I want to harness their collective experiences and vision, and hopefully put together from that a coherent approach to how we deal with Westminster and gain independence for Scotland.”

In the wide-ranging interview, the father-of-two also revealed a love of Aperol Spritzers and that, despite rumours about a Tuesday vindaloo club, he actually hates curry.