GOOD AFTERNOON & welcome to my update no.272

Another sunny weekend in Surrey canvassing and delivering leaflets in Cranleigh, Godalming, and Tongham ahead of a big week in the general election campaign, with party manifestos coming out this week…and a lot of national interest in this seat because it is so marginal. My overall feeling is that this is a frustrating election campaign because we are just not being told what Labour’s policies actually are. Let’s hope that changes after their manifesto launch…

WESTMINSTER ANNOUNCEMENTS

WELFARE REFORMS You may have seen over the weekend that Rishi Sunak set out a major plan to reform the welfare system. Why does this matter? Because if we are going to grow the economy outside the single market you have to be able to say where companies will recruit new workers from. We think that with 6 million adults of working age not in work, welfare reform is essential. And we are worried that Labour, who say they are against welfare sanctions, will see the rolls increase even more. Here is an outline of what we would do: 

• Change our approach to mental health so that people get treatment first before being signed off having to look for work. So we want to expand mental health provision with an additional 576,000 people completing e treatment by 2029-30. For those with the most severe mental illnesses, we will increase the number of people on the Individual Placement and Support program by 70%. 

• Reform the disability benefit system to tackle abuse and waste

• Stop GPs signing off fit notes (which mean you don’t have to go to work) because they are conflicted when they are asked to do so by their own patients. Instead it will be done by specialist work and health professionals. 

• Continue to clamp down on fraudsters.

PENSIONS U-TURN Part of the way we will get more people into the workforce is removing the disincentives in the pension tax system that prompt people to retire early. So in my first budget I abolished the lifetime allowance which was forcing many doctors in particular to leave work when we need them badly. Labour opposed this vigorously at the time saying it was a ‘tax cut for the rich’ but today have changed their mind which will be a great relief to many people. But why did they oppose such an obviously sensible reform in the first place?

SUNDAY TIMES The media interest in Godalming and Ash continues, this time with an interview that I did last week with The Sunday Times which you can read here if you missed it. We spoke about marginal rates on tax, the childcare measures I introduced as Chancellor, what I have done as a local MP and what I was most proud of having achieved (although I refuse to use the word legacy as I intend to win!).

 

WHAT’S GOING ON LOCALLY

LOTS MORE DOORS BEING KNOCKED… Every day the combination of door knocking and public meetings means I am meeting 80-100 people (and my volunteers many more). Thank you to OneForty in Cranleigh, the Natter cafe in Farncombe and the Secretts cafe in Milford for sustaining me with flat whites in the breaks! My general feeling is that many people have still not made up their minds and so I end up having really interesting conversations: two sets of parents in Busbridge this morning talking of the of having autistic children, others worried about bad behaviour in parliament and many worried about immigration. We also have great debates at the Q & As - thank you to Elstead, Milford, Chid, Shere and Bramley for hosting me so far - with another four this week. They are old fashioned democracy at work so do come along! All at 7pm unless indicated:

• Cranleigh Village Hall tonight

• Arbuthnot Hall Shamley Green on Wed 12th

• Chilworth Village Hall Thurs 13th

• Compton Village Hall Fri 14th

• Godalming Baptist Church Mon 17th

• Alfold Village Hall Tues 18th (7.30pm)

• Victoria Hall Ash Mon 24th (7.30pm)

• St Mary’s Church Shalford Fri 28th (7 pm)

BRAMLEY FUEL LEAK LATEST On Saturday I was joined by Surrey County Council leader Tim Oliver as we knocked on doors across Bramley and I held a public meeting in the area yesterday– unsurprisingly, the fuel leak was a topic of conversation that featured heavily. The big outstanding issues remain what the long term health impact may or may not be from the low level leaks that could have been getting into the water supply for very many years and what will happen about compensation, particularly for businesses on the high street who have been devastated. Cllr Jane Austin continues to do a brilliant job helping individual households confused about whether or not their water is safe to drink

SURREY FETES There is no better way to spend a summer weekend than at village fete in Surrey! I had a fabulous time at the Milford fete on Saturday and then at the sensational Shamley Green fete. Thank you to all the organisers for having me - and keeping the Hunt girls endlessly entertained with lucky dips and other attractions.

JOIN THE FUN! Team Jeremy has lots of volunteers and we are enjoying the campaign! Indoors, outdoors, whatever takes your fancy – if you would like to help our effort we would love to see you! Just email [email protected]. If you would like more regular updates of my work locally and nationally, do follow me on Facebook, X (Twitter), WhatsApp or Instagram. Our posters are also starting to go up all over the patch. If you would be happy to put one up in your garden or indeed in your window, please do email me – any help is so appreciated.

AND FINALLY… The canvassing doesn’t stop and nor do the pics! Here are some more of when I was out with my superb team last week.

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