Dobbin accused of choosing party politics over pension holders

Heywood and Middleton MP Jim Dobbin has been accused of putting party politics before local pension holders after refusing to support those who lost their savings when pension company Equitable Life went bust.

A motion, that was brought to Parliament by the Liberal Democrats, proposed that Parliament should follow the recommendations of the Ombudsman on compensating all policy holders who have suffered loss.

Stunningly Mr Dobbin was among 343 who had previously pledged their support to an Early Day Motion calling for the very same compensation for the victims. However Mr Dobbin voted against this in an identical motion in Parliament.

It is estimated that hundreds of people across Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale have been affected by Equitable Life going but

Councillor Wera Hobhouse, who is the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesperson, said: "How can it be fair, when taxpayers have spent billions bailing out the banks, for the government to refuse to support Equitable Life policy holders? The sums involved would be a fraction of those poured into the banks' coffers. This is yet another case of Labour saying one thing and doing another."

"It should now be clear to people exactly where their Labour MP's loyalties lie. He would rather support their morally bankrupt national party, than stand up for people of Heywood and Middleton."