Focus on: Jim Dobbin MP

Photo: Laura Wild

Celebration for Jim Dobbin MP, his wife Pat and the rest of the Labour party team at the General Election in 2010

Jim Dobbin has been a member of parliament for Heywood and Middleton for the past 13 years. He is originally from Scotland and has been married for 46 years to Pat Dobbin with who he has four children.

Rochdale Online reporter Laura Wild caught up with Mr Dobbin as part of Rochdale Online’s ‘Focus on…’ months to find out more about the MP who never actually set out to be a politician. 

Mr Dobbin spent 33 years in the NHS working as a Medical Scientist specialising in Microbiology and Virology (infectious diseases work).

Mr Dobbin said: “I just migrated towards politics firstly through the Trade Union movement and then local government via Rochdale Council having spent approximately 15 years as a local councillor, chairman of Housing, Chairman of Neighbourhood Services, Deputy Leader and in 1986 Leader of the Council.

In thirteen years Mr Dobbin has been involved in so much, and there have been many highlights, he said: “There have been many highlights in my political career but the ultimate highlight was being created a Papal Knight by Pope Benedict XVI for the work I have been involved with in Parliament on pro-life issues.”

For Mr Dobbin the most enjoyable part of his job is meeting people, “I enjoy meeting people, they are the corner stone of a politicians life and provide the stimulus, involvement and of course casework problems that we try to solve,” he said.

Being a MP based in the borough of Rochdale and travelling to London must be difficult. Mr Dobbin said: “It is difficult to balance constituency work and that in Westminster. The secret is careful prioritisation of issues and diary dates.”

When asked what he considers to be his greatest achievement Mr Dobbin said: “As Chairman of Housing I felt it was an achievement to see through the building of 300 specialist houses across the borough.

“As Chairman of the Pro-life group in Parliament for the last years we made some small progress in keeping the rights of the unborn child and the right to life of the elderly, weak and vulnerable in the public eye even though this meant voting against my own government at times on a matter of principle.

“Many achievements in Parliament are very small and major changes take years but like the abolition of the slave trade, with perseverance, change is eventually won.”

Speaking about his work in his constituency Mr Dobbin said: “The Heywood and Middleton constituency is the largest in Greater Manchester with a very varied geographical and community structure. This can provide real challenges but the people are resilient, cheerful and open. They have a great community spirit and I have made many friendships in the area.”

Mr Dobbin is keen to praise those who support him, “My wife and family have supported me to the hilt all the way through. My staff of course are extremely supportive and dependable and my constituency party have always been a great help right from the start.”

When it comes to idols, Mr Dobbin has a few, “I have a number of idols. The former Glasgow Celtic manager, Jock Stein and the European Cup winning Celtic team of 1967 known as the Lisbon Lions. My father, who was a miner all his days in the Fife coalfields and, on the world stage, Nelson Mandela and more recently, Gordon Brown for their massive global influence.”

Mr Dobbin said if he wasn’t an MP he would love to be a footballer playing for Celtic!

In his free time Mr Dobbin enjoys visiting his family, who are spread across the country. This involved trips to Scotland, Whitworth, Cardiff, Brighton, Preston and London. “Seeing my family is an ideal way to relax,” he said.

To conclude with Mr Dobbin spoke about the future, he said: “I am usually optimistic but I fear for future generations as they will have some complex problems to deal with. However I have faith in God and in human nature and I am sure they will rise to meet the challenge.”