Letter from Parliament - Jim Dobbin MP

We returned to Parliament on 6 October. The Prime Minister and the Chancellor were about to announce some ground breaking decisions. Gordon Brown was about to lead the Global attack on the financial markets. He encouraged America and Europe to follow his lead in part nationalising the banks. I never thought I’d ever see a Republican President nationalising US Banks. I never thought I would hear a conservative leader support a Labour government do likewise.

These are strange times. Gordon Brown has had global recognition for his decisive and speedy action to control the Banks and begin the long haul to restore the financial markets and protect consumers, householders and savers.

Gordon Brown is determined this must not happen again, and tight regulation must be introduced. The Thatcher years were the years of deregulation of Public Services, Transport and Financial Services. Until this week Cameron has been silent, not wishing to upset his friends in the City. He now points the finger at the Prime Minister’s years as Chancellor, pretending he would have supported more regulation of the Banks – a likely story.

The best person to handle this financial crisis in the U.K. and to give a lead globally is Gordon Brown.

The Lib Dem leader has nothing to offer nationally.

Unfortunately, the local Lib Dem council are pushing through some vicious decisions such as the decision to interfere in the Middleton & Heywood Hopwood Hall ward. They have ignored the decisions of the local electors in the Hollin Estate and in the Hopwood area to elect three councillors to represent them in Heywood and Middleton Townships. What a nerve they have. They have just managed to upset the local community by their arrogance.

They also forced through the Council’s decision to support its congestion charge, and confirmed their policy to evict for non-payment of water rates, which has to be illegal. They rode rough shod over both opposition parties in a rude, undemocratic and bullying way.

Just a warning about the referendum question on congestion charges - make sure the words congestion charge are referred to in the question that will be put in November, because Heywood and Middleton will get little investment from the Transport Improvement Bid, I shall vote against a congestion charge being imposed.

I attended the awards by Mind in Heywood Civic which was addressed by Ivan Lewis MP for Bury South, a former Health Minister who made an inspired contribution. He was formerly Chief Executive of a care organisation and demonstrated his professional experience in his speech. It was a well organised event.

On Saturday 11 I presented certificates to some good neighbours commended by local people in Heywood and Middleton. I then launched the opening of the refurbished community Hall at St James Church in Heywood. From the large number of user groups present, it was a popular celebration. I particularly enjoyed the ladies tea dance demonstration, beautifully performed.

Kevin Greenan from Langley came down to Westminster as part of a lobby to gain the Higher Rate Mobility Allowance for people with severe visual impairments. Kevin put his case on behalf of blind people very powerfully. It was good to meet him. I shall put as much pressure as possible on the Government to achieve this.

I met the Manchester Passenger Transport Authority with other local MPs to discuss future policy measures.

I then met with some business leaders from Guernsey in my capacity as Chairman of the Channel Islands group.

I was invited to speak to students at Heywood Community School about the Human Fertilization and Embryology Bill and its contents. I enjoyed the experience immensely and it was good to hear the views of the young people.

I attended my constituency party meeting on Friday evening, where we had a debate about the present financial situation. The Embryology Bill was back in the House of Commons yesterday (Wednesday 22 October) for report stage and thrid reading. I see this Bill as dangerous, unethical and anti-life and voted against the third Reading.