Letter from Parliament - Jim Dobbin MP

Date published: 19/10/2009

I returned to Parliament from Stockholm after attending a European Conference as part of the Swedish Presidency where 31 countries were represented. I was able to make a contribution in the Swedish Parliament on a positive policy for climate change. Even the Czech Republic look as if they will ratify the Lisbon Treaty. The only major party that is isolated on this is the British Conservative Party who have lined up with a few extreme partners.

On returning home I learnt about George Osborne’s £3 billion blunder in his future budget plans. This is not his first forced error and won’t be his last. It must throw doubts on his competence as a shadow chancellor.

Both the Tories and the Lib Dems have gone public on student fees. The Lib Dems have done a U turn and now support the need for student fees and the Tories have said they will double them.

Tory attacks on the public sector will put an estimated 5 million on the dole.

Locally the Lib Dems are intent on vicious cuts in the coming Council Budget including a savage reduction in adult care. They also had a chaotic evening on 14 October when thy were all over the place on a motion to introduce a 20mph speed limit outside schools, moved by the Labour Group. I hope the public are watching how badly the Lib Dems are running local council services.

During business questions I asked Harriet Harman if she would have a debate on rogue travel insurance companies who renege on providing insurance cover for holidaymakers who take ill overseas. I have a constituent who is seriously ill in a private hospital in Turkey. Her family face horrendous costs and we are negotiating with the British and Turkish consulates to try to resolve this problem and bring her home.

I met with Des Carney and other local representatives from the Communications Workers Union during their lobby of Parliament. The postal workers have offered a deal to Royal Mail which I support. I hope Royal Mail management give it a chance, otherwise we are in for a period of chaos in the run-up to Christmas.

Together with my Greater Manchester colleagues I met with the Greater Manchester Transport Executive and Authority members to discuss Local Transport issues. Lord Adonis, who is making a big impression in his new role as Secretary of State for Transport, spoke at the evening reception.

As Secretary of the British Italian All Party Group I met with politicians from the Italian Parliament accompanied by the Italian Ambassador during a three day visit to the House of Commons.

On Thursday 8 October I attended the AGM of Rochdale Development Agency who outlined future plans for development across the borough and across my constituency. The capital investment can now be seen. The investment is huge and will eventually improve the quality of life for most people.

I had a busy surgery at the Demesne Community Centre and it was good to speak with Mal McColl and Christine Abbott who attended the Labour Party Conference as Breast Cancer campaigners. They became a couple of personalities at the conference and enjoyed every moment. They met the Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Health Secretary Andy Burnham and were worthy representatives of Middleton.

I held my first surgery in the foyer of the Middleton Shopping Centre and I shall see how this goes in the coming months.

On the evening of 10 October I was privileged to attend a wonderful birthday celebration for Councillor Lil Murphy who is 80 years young. She has been an ideal political colleague for many years in her role as a Trade Unionist and Councillor on Langley. Thanks Lil for all you do.

On Saturday 17 after my Norden and Castleton surgeries I drove to Cardiff to stay at my daughter’s for the night before driving to Swansea for a meeting of the British Irish inter-Parliamentary body for a conference. I shall be in Swansea until Tuesday when I will return to London and Westminster for a meeting with Archbishop Vincent Nicholls where I intend to discuss some of the very sensitive issues that are in Parliament at the moment, including the primacy of Parliament.