Letter from Parliament - Jim Dobbin MP

Jim Dobbin MP

The Lib Dem Party are now better known as the Tories’ second eleven since they almost always vote the same way. One of their members accused me of hypocrisy in an article on Post Office closures last week because I voted in favour of the investment of £1.7 billion to keep as many post offices open and viable as possible. This is new money introduced by the government to try and improve the viability of individual post offices. The Lib Dems voted against this financial protection. They support an insincere policy of stopping post office closures, failing to explain to the public that their national policy is to sell off and privatise the Post Office system.

A total of seven branches across the borough are due for closure and three in my constituency have been promised my support in Parliament if the local postmaster needs it. I remind the Lib Dems that if any postmaster wants to close because of a personal decision, the only way that branch can remain open is if the franchise is bought. The Lib Dems have an opportunity to put their money where their mouths are, since they run the Local Authority. The Lib Dem council have the option of buying up the 7 franchises. I hope they support this course of action.

For the record the Lib Dems have:

• Voted against tougher sentences for murder, sexual offences and violent crime
• Voted against 5 year minimum sentences for carrying an illegal gun
• Voted against allowing new trials for murder if new evidence comes to light
• Voted against tougher sentences to tackle terrorism and allow more powers to take DNA from suspects - all in the name of liberalism.

No thoughts for the vast majority of citizens whose civil liberties they ignore.

I gladly travelled to Westminster on Wednesday where I was provided with a wheel chair to enable me to vote for the 42 day detention of terror suspects on behalf of my constituents. There is in my opinion adequate protection for individuals who may be suspected of terrorism in this new legislation.

I want all communities in my constituency to be free of underage drinking and anti social behaviour and I therefore support Government measures to introduce a new offence for the persistent possession of alcohol in public places and tougher actions against premises that sell alcohol to underage customers. I am aware of those areas across Heywood and Middleton where this is a problem. Please get in touch if the problem is prevalent and needs attention.

Anyone over the age of 16 caught in possession of a knife can expect to be prosecuted on a first offence. Those who carry knives on our streets need to know they can expect to end up in court and face tough consequences. The Government are also supporting young people who do not go to university to continue their education and training. All 19-25 year olds who do not have the equivalent of 2 A levels will be entitled to free training worth £7,000. This will benefit 100,000 young people across the country. Local employers who offer apprenticeships can also support young people who may be entitled to an apprenticeship credit. I ask all local employers to demonstrate their support by offering apprenticeships.

Earlier the Government introduced free transport, now they have committed £140million investment in free swimming. This will allow Rochdale Council to develop and extend free swimming for over 60s and under 16s throughout Heywood and Middleton. Whether you are young or old, swimming is something people can do as a family that is fun and good for your health. I will be speaking to the Chief Executive, Roger Ellis to see how we can ensure that everyone benefits.

Carers are Britain’s unsung heroes and play a vital role in supporting elderly and disabled relatives and friends. But – they themselves need support. Carers’ Week held in June every year is an opportunity to thank them for the hard work they do. The Government has introduced a new carers’ strategy to give them the recognition they deserve.

An ageing population increases demand. We have more older people caring for partners and looking after grandchildren, more parents caring for disabled children and more children caring for disabled parents. There are examples of this in all families including my own. Advice, information, health checks, training and short breaks are all part of this new plan.

The Government is also considering remuneration. Carers deserve and need this additional support.

Although I am absent from Westminster at the moment, my Parliamentary work continues. The group I chair on Involuntary Tranquiliser Addiction took part in an evidence session last week to raise awareness of this extremely serious and commonplace problem. The group’s intention is to encourage the Government to provide help and support to enable involuntary addicts to come off their tranquilisers on a gradual programme and to do so in every Primary Care Group across the UK. This is a sadly neglected area and many people feel their lives are ruined because of their addiction.

All the reports I have heard are that the evidence session went well with contributions from many voluntary support groups and ex addicts and a presentation from Professor Heather Ashton from Newcastle University who is a renowned expert in this field. I now look forward to the report before planning the next move.

I was unable to attend the Rochdale Childer awards but congratulate Maureen Cooper and her dedicated team for all the good work they have done this year and over the past years.

It was Norden Carnival on Saturday and although I was unable to walk in the parade for the first time since I was elected to Parliament, I was able to judge the shop window display competition. The theme this year was children’s books and it was a difficult decision as there were several excellent windows. I eventually decided the winner was New Mayfair Hair and Beauty salon. Well done to the proprietors and the window dresser for an imaginative project, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

I had a quiet day watching the Middleton Cricket match on Sunday. I had sponsored the game against Heywood and was able to entertain some of my friends and fellow Labour Party supporters who help me throughout the year. It was a relaxing day and although I am enjoying the rest as I recuperate, I must confess I am looking forward to the rough and tumble of Westminster. Despite the adverse publicity that politics gets in the media, I can assure you that a great deal of positive work goes on and despite all its faults, we are lucky to be able to take decisions in an open transparent democratic system. So many nations such as Zimbabwe, Sudan, Tibet, Burma and many other less fortunate nations do not share this privilege. We should refrain from trivialising the UK Parliamentary system.