Letter from Parliament - Jim Dobbin MP

Jim Dobbin MP

I need to begin by expressing my deepest sympathy to the family and friends of Lee Rigby who was cruelly murdered last week in Woolwich. This was a young solider willing to protect his country. He is a fallen hero and I am certain that the people of Middleton will gather round the family and offer all the help and support they can.

The aftermath of this terrible act has to be handled with calmness and dignity that will create a peaceful and harmonious neighbourhood for the future.

On Friday morning around 7am it seemed as if every television station and radio station were there covering the young soldier's death.

There was a low key but highly emotional prayer service lead by Canon Phillip from All Saints and Martyrs ending with a blessing from Father Tadhg of Our Lady’s Wood Street.

The Langley community has demonstrated their ability to unite in respect and support for Lee and his family.

A remembrance service was held last Sunday at 3pm in Middleton Gardens. A very large crowd of Middletonians turned out as they always do. Canon Phillip led the short dignified service that hit the right note. It was a unique occasion, Lee’s death and the manner in which it happened has become a national issue and will certainly need intense security for the next few weeks.

Police and security investigations have begun and will require a parliamentary enquiry into why this happened, by whom and how it could take place in daylight in London.

Again I want to express my deepest sympathy to Lee’s family and friends at this sad time.

I attended a campaign meeting in the Old Boar's Head against the infamous bedroom tax and I can confirm that there are a lot of angry innocent people affected by this ill-judged piece of legislation. This tax will reduce housing benefits for tenants of social landlords by 14% for those with one extra room and by 25% for those with two or more spare rooms. This tax will hit soldiers but not prisoners. Foster parents will be hit by this tax, some pensioners will lose out. Disabled individuals will suffer; the families of servicemen will also be hit and split families will lose out. It has been estimated that nearly 700,000 households will be £728 per year worse off, at the same time as 13,000 millionaires will gain £100,000 per year.

At the same time, this coalition government is forcing people off benefits when there are no jobs, they are forcing people out of housing when there are no homes. The bedroom tax is unworkable and crazy. The coalition is making some of the poorest and most vulnerable people in society even poorer. This scheme will probably end up costing the tax payers more than it saves.

My advice to constituents affected by this tax is to challenge the decision and appeal against it.

I hope the borough wide housing will look at ways of getting round this by redesignation of rooms affected. I also hope they will be lenient with possible evictions based on the bedroom tax.

This scheme is now chaotic right across the country. I understand around 4,000 households locally will be affected.

The government know this policy is in a mess and should shelve it. I would support a sensible welfare tax not this crazy tax.

It was great to celebrate the heroic act by Lance Corporal Stephen Shaw who deservedly received the Military Cross for bravery when he rescued an officer in Afghanistan at the same time as he himself had been hit by bullets. He was awarded the Freedom of the Borough and had a street named after him. The day was a great success and it was fantastic to see the veteran’s parade through the town.

The Fusiliers are under threat at the moment. Stephen Shaw’s contribution proves how essential the continuation of the Fusiliers is to our armed forces. Stephen is a Lance Corporal in the army medical corps.

Well done to Councillor Allan McCarthy and council leader Colin Lambert for organising such a successful day.

I was able to enjoy the magnificent singing at Bamford Chapel by the Wisconsin Lutherin Choir as part of their tour of England and Ireland. The singing was rousing and memorable and they brought some warm weather for a change.