Letter from Parliament - Jim Dobbin MP

Date published: 01 June 2009

I have just returned from a relaxing week in France with my family. We had a great time and it gave me a chance to reflect on recent work in Parliament and to relax and enjoy some time with my grandchildren.

I was thinking that my whole life has been taken up with my years in the NHS, and with politics local and national. These are all very important but we all need the support of our families and friends and their influence on what we do in our lives.

My own father, who was a miner all his life, influenced my political thinking and always said only do what you think is right. That’s why I have always tried to take decisions based on conscience even if that meant voting against my own party or government and that’s how I intend to continue as long as I remain in politics. The right thing to do is to follow your own informed conscience when you differ from the party line.

Now it’s back to the reality of Westminster and all the trauma which will take its course.

Meanwhile the financial hardship that is affecting many families and individuals has been pushed into the background by the tabloid press.

Economics exist to support people so when the system breaks it is right to fix it. The idea of standing by and doing nothing while people suffer is immoral. It was right to step in and capitalise the banks. Whatever the rights and wrongs of how banks have operated, the financial system is too important to play politics with and therefore the government could not let them go under. That is why it is important that despite the rants of the other political leaders about expenses, the Prime Minister has to continue running the country.

When I go round the constituency I see visible signs of investment in the public sector, in schools, health facilities, leisure and the environment and then I remember that the Conservatives and Lib Dems voted against all this capital investment. To reduce public sector investment by £20 billion (which is what the opposition parties would do) would cause havoc across the country. Investment in schools and health etc has to continue as part of our recovery programme as all these initiatives provide work and wages which keep the economy moving.

It is worrying that North Korea has raised its head again on the nuclear issue and that the country’s leadership is intent on playing the brinkmanship game over nuclear weapons.

It looks like there may be some light on Vauxhall’s future following the agreement in Germany.

It’s the three important issues of economy, business and nuclear threats that the government has been concentrating on and that’s as it should be. The expenses issue will not be sorted overnight and it needs time and proper consideration to restore the British people’s confidence, not a series of statements fired from the hip in order to catch a few headlines.

We need to take time and do a lasting review that everyone accepts, even the press. My expenses will be published officially in the middle of June once details of bank accounts and credit cards have been removed.

On Friday 15 May I visited St John Fisher RC Primary School in Middleton. This was my first visit to this very friendly school. I had a discussion with Miss Kenny the Head Teacher and met the daughter of former councillor and Labour Group Leader Les Worsley. If you remember he was my predecessor and Jim Callaghan’s election agent. He was highly regarded as a local politician and contributed a great deal to the Middleton community.

On Saturday 16 May I had two busy surgeries in Norden and then Castleton.

I left on Monday to visit the Swedish Parliament with the European Scrutiny Committee for a pre-presidency scrutiny meeting as Sweden take over the presidency of the European Union in a few weeks.

I returned to London about 9.30pm on 20 May and therefore was unable to attend the Mayor Making Ceremony in the Town Hall. I wish new Mayor Keith Swift a happy 12 months. Can I congratulate Councillor Robin Parker and Ann Jones who did a magnificent job over the last 12 months. I know they will remember their experience for the rest of their lives.

I attended the installation of Archbishop Vincent Nicholls as the new leader of the Catholic Church in England and Wales. It was attended by four Cardinals and hundreds of bishops and other clergy from across the country. The new Archbishop will, I know, make his voice heard in the highest places. I wish him a long and fruitful reign in his new role.

I have been appointed to the Finance Bill for the next five weeks. This is my second Finance Bill involvement since I was elected 12 years ago. There are usually two sessions of 2-3 hours twice a day on Tuesdays and Thursdays so it’s back to work with avengeance.