Simon Danczuk MP

Fighting for Rochdale, Littleborough and Milnrow

Letter from Westminster, 21st July 2010

For many people the UK’s first peacetime coalition Government represented something of a curiosity. I now get the impression that the political honeymoon they’ve enjoyed is ending and the novelty is wearing off.

The promise of ‘new politics’ is starting to leave a sour taste. In the last few weeks we’ve seen VAT rises voted through, job support measures and business incentives dumped and ideologically driven NHS reforms that will see thousands lose their jobs and waiting times go up.

I was very disappointed this week to see the Government axe key business support measures that encouraged businesses to come to Rochdale. When I told the Business and Enterprise Minister how important these measures were for Rochdale, he simply shrugged and said, ‘we need change’.

This was, of course, the word that both Nick Clegg and David Cameron used continually in the run-up to the election. Now we know what their ‘change’ means. Jack Straw did a great job of spelling this out at a highly-charged PMQs this week. The Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, he reminded us, had warned people of the policies they are now pursuing. “People are going to ask,” said Clegg, ‘Who are these people who are telling us that they are suddenly going to take our jobs away?’

Now we know. These people are Liberal Democrats.

I am under no illusions as to the challenges Rochdale faces and much of my time will be spent lobbying ministers about the need to protect jobs and support Rochdale through to recovery. In the last week I have met the Transport Minister to talk about Rochdale’s transport interchange and the Justice Minister to discuss the future of our courts.

Besides the Parliamentary work and meetings with Ministers, I’ve also discussed retail in Rochdale with the Association of Convenience Stores; attended a meeting of the Federation of Small Businesses and met with Mike Farrar, Chief Executive of NHS North West regarding Rochdale Infirmary.

In Rochdale I’m continuing to visit schools, local businesses, community groups and meet council officers and constituents. Discussing politics with local people is a vital part of my job. It shows my commitment to the constituency and is worth more than any campaigning war chest. Recently published expense claims from the General Election show that the Liberal Democrat, Paul Rowen, spent double the amount I spent. Hard work, not propaganda is what the people of Rochdale want.