Letter from Parliament - Jim Dobbin MP

Jim Dobbin MP

Well that’s the Party conference season over for another year!

Both main parties failed to follow the expected pattern forecast by the media. The Labour Party did not descend into near collapse. In fact the opposite happened and the Prime minister emerged much stronger, particularly because of his strong performance on the problems facing the UK and the global economy.

David Cameron on the other hand made a solid speech but his conference got lost in the problems facing the economic world and it was more difficult for him to attack the banking world because most of them are staunch conservative supporters. He has to go easy on them and instead offered his support to the government.

The Lib Dem conference will be remembered for £20 billion worth of public sector cuts and the £30 per week pension gaffe. (The number 30 seems to be a fixture in Nick Clegg’s mind these days).

By the way the local Lib Dems’ attempt to save the Post Offices ended up in the bin as I predicted. I don’t think even they would attempt to recycle it. On the other hand, congratulations to Essex county council who have put forward a successful and realistic solution to Post Office closures. They don’t say it aloud but Lib Dem policy is to privatise the Post Office network whereas the Government have put up £1.7 billion to keep as many viable as possible.

Their attempt to highjack Hollin and move it out of Middleton has also bit the dust and their support for the congestion charge will be opposed by myself and the Middleton Labour Group.

It was good to meet the Bishop of Middleton on his pilgrimage to Heywood Parish. Bishop Nigel was in great form and made imaginative use of the Commonwealth Games beacon in his preaching, much to the enjoyment of everyone present.

On 27 September, Pat and I managed to get away to Majorca for the first break of the year. It was hot and sunny most days and we enjoyed the change. The constituency was in the capable hands of Councillors Godson and Lambert who both work in my local office. They do a great job for me on top of their normal council duties.

We returned on Saturday morning to a mountain of mail and returned to Westminster on 6 October and some new legislation to deal with the banking and building society global difficulties facing this country.

The Prime Minister had a cabinet reshuffle while we were on holiday and an interesting list of appointments it is The media will try to criticise but just wait and see how the Government deal with the day to day insecurity that everyone is facing. Please don’t hesitate to pass on your views and I will try to feed them into the Cabinet.

As you are aware I am not happy with the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill due to come into the House on 22 October but I will deal with that issue nearer the time.

I attended two coffee mornings in support of Macmillan Nurses on Friday 26 September, one at Bamford chapel where I met old friends and had a short chat with the minister Dr Debra Anderson.

She appears to have settled in well at the chapel where she has an extremely supportive community. Next I joined John Burton and his team at Middleton Cricket Club where a packed clubhouse enjoyed a good social and fundraising morning. Both events went with a swing and raised much needed cash for a very worthy cause.