Letter from Parliament - Jim Dobbin MP

Jim Dobbin MP

David Cameron’s speech on Europe defined him as being driven by his party interest and not by the national interest.

His announcement of a referendum to be held years in the future is not about the consent of the British people but about his management of the Conservative Party.

When the priority should be jobs and growth, Mr. Cameron is risking instability and undermining investment in our economy and he has raised more questions than he has answered.

He can’t tell business whether the UK will still be part of the world’s largest single market in four years time.

Uncertainty is bad for investment and Cameron’s speech has definitely created a lot more uncertainty.

Labour believes that the priority has to be jobs and growth at home and securing influence abroad.

His speech risks seven years of uncertainty for investors and undermines recovery. David Cameron is sleepwalking to disaster for the UK economy.

Indeed, many people in Heywood and Middleton will be angry that Cameron is pandering to his Tory backbench when the economy shrank by 0.3 % at the end of the year.

Half the country saw yet another rise in unemployment, dole queues have risen and so has youth unemployment.

Labour has been calling for urgent action to kick start the economy. Now as the economy is flat lining and entering a triple-dip recession, even the International Monetary Fund is losing patience with Cameron and Osborne.

The IMF warned again this week that we need a change of course in the budget with a new Plan B. The chancellor must throw his politically weak plan in the dustbin and put the national economic interest first.

• Family budgets affecting 7.9 million working families will cost a one earner family, on £20k , £279 per year.
• Tax cuts for the wealthy worth £107,000 for 8,000 people earning over £1 million will cost the tax payer £3 billion.
• £212 billion has been borrowed by Osborne because of his economic incompetence.
• Huge, top-down reorganisation of the NHS will cost £3 billion.
• An increasing welfare bill because of rising unemployment and part time jobs will cost £13 billion.
• The Granny Tax on 4.4 million pensioners, costing each pensioner £83.
• The cost of mistakes in the 2012 budget of £150 million, 15,500 fewer police officers and 6.800 fewer nurses and it goes on and on.

One announcement that I do support is the decision to introduce High Speed Rail. High speed 2 will be good for the North West and the North East. The problem is the length of time it will take to build when passenger demand is growing. It is important to link the key cities from London through Birmingham, Sheffield, Manchester the North East and eventually Glasgow and Edinburgh. This has the support of Northern business and passengers. It will be a worthwhile investment and helps us to compete with European rail links.

Last week I chaired a Westminster Hall debate on Justice and the Military, where comparisons with the Deep Cut investigations produced a call for an independent ombudsman for the armed forces.

Greater Manchester MPs were briefed by the Manchester Chamber of Commerce on the region’s economic outlook and also by New Police Commissioner, Tony Lloyd and Chief Constable Sir Peter Fahey on Police Policy across Greater Manchester.

In the constituency, I met Paul Foggerty from the Fire Brigade Union for a discussion on Government reductions in the Fire Service.

Last Saturday I was delighted to visit Woodside Working Men’s Club to present a cheque for club members to the local Hospice. The members deserve great credit for their generous contribution. It was an opportunity to say hello to constituents.

Let’s hope the weather improves and we can look forward to a drier, warmer season.