Lib Dems criticise Dobbin over Castro support

Lib Dems in Heywood and Middleton have chastised local MP Jim Dobbin’s support for Fidel Castro.  69 MPs, including Mr Dobbin, have signed an Early Day Motion (EDM) praising Cuba's retiring dictator Fidel Castro. The motion praises his achievements and completely ignores his cruel and undemocratic regime. 

That this House commends the achievements of Fidel Castro in securing first-class free healthcare and education provision for the people of Cuba despite the 44 year illegal US embargo of the Cuban economy; notes the great strides Cuba has taken during this period in many fields such as biotechnology and sport in both of which Cuba is a world leader; acknowledges the esteem in which Castro is held by the people and leaders of Africa, Asia and Latin America for leading the calls for emancipation of the world's poorest people from slavery, hunger and the denial of human rights such as the right to life, the right to shelter, the right to healthcare and basic medicines and the right to education; welcomes the EU statement that constructive engagement with Cuba at this time is the most responsible course of action; and calls upon the Government to respect Cuba's right to self-determination and resist the aggressive forces within the US Administration who are openly planning their own illegal transition in Cuba.

In addition to attempting to crush dissent, Castro sought to restrict and control the Church. In Castro’s Cuba - pastors are regularly harassed. Some have been jailed in the past. In December, security forces raided a Catholic Church and arrested 18 human rights activists attending Mass.  Scores of journalists have been jailed in appalling conditions for daring speak out against Castro’s regime.  At least 250 other prisoners of conscience, including peaceful human rights activists, democracy activists, as well as trade unionists are in jail in Castro's Cuba, held in gruesome cells infested with rats and cockroaches.

A Lib Dem Spokesperson said: “I am surprised to see Mr Dobbin channel his efforts into some sort of hero worship for Castro.   It was only this week that a Spokesperson for Gordon Brown said he hoped that Castro’s retirement would lead ‘…to more respect for human rights and the release of political prisoners…’ and said, ‘This is now an opportunity to make progress towards a peaceful transition to a pluralist democracy,’  We find Mr Dobbin’s support for Mr Castro to be shameful and he should remove his name from the list of supporters of this abhorrent regime!”

To read the full Early Day Motion visit:

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