movers & shakers
profiles
words | Mike Brufal
Jim Dobbin MP is one of that rare breed of politician who has strong views on many subjects and expresses them in a forthright manner. For example he is ‘for’ more EU integration and the hunting ban, strongly against increasing the rate of VAT, introducing ID cards, the Iraq war and introducing foundation hospitals, against university tuition fees and greater autonomy for schools, and for a stricter asylum system, Labour’s anti-terrorism laws and a smoking ban. He is also Chairman of the All-Party Gibraltar Parliamentary Group which was formed to represent the views of the people of Gibraltar in Parliament.
The Robust Views of Jim Dobbin MP All-Party Gibraltar Parliamentary Group Jim Dobbin MP is Chairman of the All-Party Gibraltar Parliamentary Group. There are four Vice-Chairs: David Crausby (Lab), Andrew Rosindell (Con), Lord Kilclooney (Cross Bencher), and Simon Hughes (LD). Lord Hoyle (Lab) is the Treasurer with Jack Lopresti (Con) as Secretary. The 20 qualifying members are: Government Party: Eleanor Laing, Andrew Rosindell, Oliver Colvile, Jack Lopresti, Michael Ellis, Iain Stewart, Stephen Metcalfe, Mike Penning, Jason McCartney and Nigel Evans. Main Opposition Party: Lindsay Hoyle, Lord Hoyle, Madeleine Moon, Jim Dobbin, Virendra Sharma, Ian Davidson, Jim Sheridan, David Crausby, Jim Hood and Lord Davies of Coity. GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2013
Jim, 71, is the Labour Co-operative Member of Parliament for Heywood and Middleton and has held the seat since the 1997 election when he succeeded James Callaghan. At the last election his majority was 5,971 votes. He stands as a Labour and Co-operative member because he is officially endorsed by both the Labour party and the Co-operative party. At the last election 28 such members were elected including the Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer Ed Balls. Only Labour Co-operative MPs and Peers belong to the Parliamentary Co-operative Group. A Scottish Catholic, he was born in Kincardine on Forth in Fife and was educated at Saint Columba’s High School, Cowdenbeath and St Andrew’s High School. Subsequently he went to Napier College, Edinburgh where he studied Bacteriology and Virology. Jim worked as a microbiologist within the
National Health Service for 33 years until 1994. In 1980 he was elected chairman for a year of the Rochdale Constituency Labour party and in 1983 a Councillor in the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale, becoming the Labour Group leader in 1994 and the leader of the Council in 1996. Four years earlier he had unsuccessfully contested the Bury North seat, coming second to the sitting Conservative MP Alistair Burt. A family man, Jim married Pat Russell in 1964 and they have four children, seven grandsons and one grand daughter. One grandson, who is 16, and is wheelchair bound, became the British Junior Disabled Karate Champion. Another grandson is a professional drummer. As well as being the chairman of the All Party Gibraltar Parliamentary Group, he is also the Chair of the Pro-life Group, Chair of
Jim worked as a microbiologist within the National Health Service for 33 years until 1994 27