Letter from Parliament – Jim Dobbin MP

Jim Dobbin MP

I have never had any doubt that Ed Miliband was quietly developing his manifesto to put to the British People at the appropriate time before the next election. Last week in Brighton he began to make public the Labour teams’ thinking. This speech was remarkable on many levels; inspiring, reassuring and authentic.

Ed talked with authority and integrity and made no use of notes or cue cards when he spoke for an hour.

The theme throughout was Britain as One Nation. He was constant in his referral to a One Nation Economy built around the British people who are our country’s greatest asset.

He is prepared to reverse the Coalitions’ policies that only benefit the rich and adversely affect the vast majority of people who find themselves in the middle and working classes.

Under Milibands’ Labour Government the Tory millionaires will see their huge tax advances stopped. These tax handouts are, in my view, the affluent equivalent of a welfare benefit system that can only serve the rich.

Under Ed Miliband, of course, gas and electricity bills will be frozen until 2017. That announcement certainly ruffled the six largest energy companies who have been raking in huge profits and those sections of the media who align themselves to the Tory vote.

To get the Housing Market building again, Ed will put a stop to those building companies who are holding on to land that has planning permission.

This land offers valuable opportunity to build much needed affordable housing and those companies who fail to use the land quickly because they are waiting to make a profit will lose their stake. He puts decent housing for all before quick profit for the few and quite right too.

The Bedroom Tax, which I have highlighted in previous articles, will thankfully be repealed - a great relief for those families currently under attack from this most cynical Tory policy.

Ed will also consign the ATOS benefit capability assessor to the dustbin.

He has more radical policies to unveil in the coming months, including a commitment to re-establishing the NHS which is under serious attack from Cameron and this Coalition government.

Ed aims to bring quality of life for all through decent housing, health and daily living - the future looks brighter than for some time.

I was able to attend the Heywood Team meeting to listen to the plans that are being prepared to encourage more community partnership.

The Hopwood Hall Graduation Awards held in the Town Hall was a credit to all those successful graduates and to Principle Derek O’Toole and his team.

I was at the Council of Europe this week during the Tory Party Conference. I am sure I shall be tempted to comment on this in future articles.

Meanwhile we return to Parliament on the 8 October after what has been an intriguing but hectic recess.