Letter from Parliament - Jim Dobbin MP

Jim Dobbin MP

The result of the Glasgow bye election must have been a huge disappointment to David Cameron and the Sun newspaper. People are generally sensible and could see the nastiness of the Sun’s tactics and their cheap little story was seen as a total set up. However it demonstrates that some of the tabloid newspapers will stop at nothing to destroy Gordon Brown. I hope the public are beginning to realise this.

I was able to ask the Prime Minister at question time about the need for reforms in the insurance industry. The Law Commission will publish a report soon advocating reforms including a draft Bill on the subject. The Prime Minister gave a helpful response suggesting the government would consider the issue in some future legislative programme. The tragic circumstances surrounding Jean Edwards’ death and her failed travel insurance policy which has left the family with a bill for £100,000 has highlighted the case for more, transparent regulation of the insurance industry in all its forms. The Trevor Macdonald Tonight Programme will be covering this subject at a future date. I hope to make a contribution to the Tonight show in an interview.

I have just taken part in a packed public meeting in support of my constituent Danny Fitzsimons who is presently in prison in Iraq for shooting two security guards that were employed like Danny by the Armour Group, a security company contracted by the British and the American Governments to protect individuals working in Iraq. An Iraqi man was also shot. Danny is suffering from post traumatic stress disorder following his time serving in Afghanistan. My belief is that Danny should never have been employed in the security industry in Iraq. I arranged a meeting with the family and Ivan Lewis MP, the minister responsible for the Middle East Our aim is to ensure a fair trial for Danny and a return home to this country as soon as possible.

I voted against the government in support of an amendment in the coroners and Justice Bill to protect freedom of speech and the right of people to express their views freely within the context of their own sincere religious beliefs. The Government eventually conceded the argument and the freedom of speech clause remains in the Bill.

I attended the Remembrance Day Service in Heywood this year. It was exceptionally well attended. The large number of young people who turned out was extremely encouraging. It was very poignant to see the primary school children laying wreaths. I paid a quiet visit to the Middleton arena to spend some time meeting socially the members of the British Legion. There was a large attendance also at the Middleton cenotaph. Next year I will officially attend the Middleton service. Manchester Cathedral was the setting for a service to commemorate the introduction of the first Disability Act 40 years ago by Alf Morris now Lord Morris of Manchester a good friend of mine. The Bishop of Middleton presided. Alf’s pioneering legislation is now used the world over and is a credit to his drive and determination.

St Aidan’s Castleton hosted a Night at the Proms with the Music Service musicians and young singers supported by a retired members’ choir. It was a great evening under the superb control of MC Ken Davies.

I left Westminster on Wednesday evening against the wishes of the Government Whips but I had to be present at the official opening of the New Phoenix Centre for joint services in Heywood. It will be a great facility for Heywood and I was pleased to be part of this project. It was good to see young attendees at Rochdale Connexions Trust receive their certificates. Some of them may have experienced difficult circumstances in their short lives but are trying to achieve something and they deserve credit for their efforts.

On Friday 13 I visited St Joseph’s Primary School open day and then made my way to Cardinal Langley to open their new sports facility. Head teacher Colin Mason and his staff have done a great job to complete this brilliant project.

It was then on to Desmesne Community Centre for my monthly surgery. A quick dash to Springhill Hospice for a working lunch to choose Rochdale’s Man of the Year for the Charity event on 27 November in the Town Hall in aid of the Springhill Hospice. I ended the day at two further events, the graduation ceremony for Hopwood Hall students where congratulations were in order for Maria Standring and Dawn Isaacs from Middleton who achieved an award in early learning on the foundation course. I went on to the opening of a new photography studio in Norden by my old friend Graham Sivills. It was a lovely relaxing evening for me and I wish Graham every success.

Parliament resumes on the 18th with the new Queen’s speech, It will be an interesting six months ahead I guess.