Letter from Parliament - Jim Dobbin MP

Jim Dobbin MP

Listening to David Cameron justify the content of the Queens’ Speech was lamentable. The Queens’ Speech is always based on the current Prime Minister’s political agenda.

Every Prime Minister is responsible for the content of the speech and I’m sad to say that his is the weakest Queen’s Speech I have listened to in my sixteen years in Parliament.

We need strong and sustained recovery to get investment, jobs and standards on track as Labour and the I.M.F. have consistently advocated.

We need to kick start the economy by building thousands of affordable homes; introduce an access to jobs programme for all; tax bank bonus’s to support 100,000 unemployed going into work and in place of asking pensioners to give up their hard worked for winter fuel allowance, free bus passes and tax credits.

Cameron should stop the £100, 000 tax cut to his millionaire friends.

Ed Miliband has formed a Jobs Bill to guarantee jobs for our young people, a Finance Bill that would reduce our tax levels, a Consumer Bill to stop the energy and train fares rip-off, a Banking Bill that supports British Business, a Housing Bill to control rogue landlords and stop high levels of rent in the private sector, an Immigration Bill that would put an end to workers being exploited illegally.

Under this Government Britain has deteriorated. One million young people out of work and unemployment levels are up under this Coalition Government. With the economy flat-lining for two and a half years, families are paying the price with real wages down £1,700 since the election. The banks are still not lending sufficiently to business, build of new housing is falling therefore leaving people open to higher rents in the private sector and family bills have increased by £300 with energy company profits soaring out of control.

Ed Miliband’s alternative Queens’ Speech would at least have given the people some hope and not leave them full of despair.

Cameron’s Welfare Bill, NHS Bill, Bedroom Tax and the rest will do everlasting damage to individuals and families. On the way we will be landed with a privatised NHS, a privatised Ambulance Service, a privatised Police Force, a privatised Fire Service, a privatised Probation Service and a privatised Post Office. Nothing is to be protected.

I urge the constituents of Heywood and Middleton to consider Ed Milibands’ strategy to get Britain into a position of growth where all people will benefit and where the future looks hopeful with all individuals and families maintaining a reasonable quality of life.

On the bright side, I was able to sponsor Middleton Cricket last weekend. Our clubs put a huge amount into local communities and deserve all the support we can offer.

The event at the Millbeck Club on Langley was a tremendous success and its congratulations to Rick Walker and his team from Cartwheel Arts for their superb input.

It was a very cultural event for all the young people of Middleton.

Sunday I accepted an invite to the Launch of the ‘Deaf Rhinos’ a football team for people who are deaf, sponsored by the Deaf Education Fellowship. The event was held at the Middleton Campus of Hopwood Hall College.

It is essential that young people with a serious disability are supported and felt to be part of the community. These young people were enjoying every moment of the event and it was a delight to be there.

I pulled my first ever pint at the Pack Horse Inn last week. I am more used to standing on the other side of the bar. I must thank Carol the Landlady and her husband for their hospitality and time to chat. Of course, the Pack Horse is a J.W. Lees pub, a Middleton Brewery and therefore is close to my heart. Did you like that!

I left for London on Sunday afternoon to start in Westminster today, Monday 13 May.