Letter from Parliament - Jim Dobbin MP

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Jim Dobbin MP

David Cameron appears to be undertaking a global lecture tour these days. He has travelled widely in Europe, lecturing them about what they should be doing to stabilise their economies. He then lectured Argentina on the Falklands risking an international incident. He got bored with that one pretty quickly and turned his attention to north of the border. He gave the Scottish Nation a lecture on independence and being all in this together. I make it clear I am not in support of independence for Scotland, but a lecture from Cameron might make me consider it.

However, the shrewd Alex Salmond very soon put him right. Mr Cameron then decided to travel to Paris and endorse Nicholas Sarkozy in his attempt to win a second term in France. I’ll bet Sarkozy would have wished he hadn’t bothered. His next stop might be America to advise President Obama on economic policy. It’s a pity our economy isn’t recovering as fast as the American economy.

I took part in a campaign last week in Piccadilly Gardens to highlight the dangers of pay day lenders. As unemployment rises to its highest level for seventeen years, women’s unemployment is at its highest level since 1987 and youth unemployment to its highest ever level, the benefit bill shoots up to £29 billion. Poverty is increasing at an alarming rate and people even from middle income families are seeking loans to pay their way. Pay day lenders charge hefty interest rates and push families further into poverty. The antidote to this is to join a credit union which would enable borrowers to have access to loans at reasonable rates of interest and within their financial ability to pay back the loan. Credit unions are expanding across the U.K. and have all party support in Parliament.

I congratulate the Labour Council in its’ effort to regenerate our town centres. The £1 million that is to be invested in Rochdale Town Centre via the ‘High Street Foundation’ is a much needed scheme to encourage shops and businesses into the town.

It is encouraging to see our business community and the Council working together to stimulate the local economy. I attended a recent business breakfast and saw this new partnership first hand. This kind of co-operation has to be the way ahead for the future of the Borough.

The Welfare Reform Bill returns to the Commons soon. Disadvantaged individuals and groups will suffer because of this piece of legislation. I have already had constituents attend my surgeries who have terminal cancer, have lost their benefits and told to find a job. How cruel is that! Disability groups are up in arms over this. The list of people adversely and unfairly affected is growing.

Greater Manchester MPs have learned that if public sector cuts continue we will see the closure of fire stations and the loss of fire engines and a reduction in fire fighting staff. Every part of the public services is affected.

The Annual review of Hopwood Hall College held on the Middleton Campus was a testament to the real progress the college is making. Congratulations to the Principal, his staff and the hard working students for their success.

The Christian Aid meeting in St. Andrew’s Church was most enjoyable. The subject was a talk on Sierra-Leone and some of the progress that is being made in that country. It supported my own experiences on health issues in Kenya a couple of years ago. It is encouraging to witness improvement in health and education in the developing world.

It was good to hear of the award of £50,000 to Heywood Cricket Club to improve their facilities. Our cricket clubs do a super job with young people and Heywood deserves this financial help.

St. Gabriel’s’ Pantomime was fantastic. This is a terrific example of a real community effort - young children, parents, older youngsters creating an enjoyable evening. St. Gabriel’s’ presentation of Aladdin, produced and directed by Castleton’s’ own Billy Sheerin, was a hilarious piece of show-business variety.

Well, this short recess is over. We are back in that other Palace of Variety in Westminster.