GOOD AFTERNOON & welcome to my weekly update no.321.

I hope you all had a brilliant summer. Last week the Hunt children returned to school via two slightly frazzled parents. And then straight back to Westminster politics with the government nearly imploding at the end of last week…which is actually not good news for any of us as it is our government!

WESTMINSTER WHISPERS

CABINET MUSICAL CHAIRS On Friday, we witnessed the largestgovernment reshuffle ([link removed]) to-date since the election, forced by the resignation of Angela Rayner. Many of us felt for someone who has been trying to juggle politics with a disabled child but sympathy was tempered by the regular no-holes barred attacks she herself had made on others for much lesser offences. For Keir Starmer it was problematic - to say the least - having promised to ‘end the era of noisy performance’ and a politics that ‘treads more lightly on your lives.’ In truth governments of all persuasions have such moments and the fundamental issue is deeper: a year ago the PM clearly thought that replacing Tory drama with technocratic government would be enough. If that was delivering - for example - economic growth or an end to the small boats, he might have had an argument. But without tangible progress - indeed we seem to be going backwards - people are losing hope. As former
First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Jonathan Band said ‘hope is the first duty of command.’ I hope the PM is listening...

ALL OF WHICH COULD BE AWKWARD for President Trump’s state visit next week. I don’t agree with the President on Ukraine, on tariffs and on his general admiration for autocrats. But in just eight months (five less than Sir Keir) he has cut illegal migration by over 90%, seen inflation fall and made Western Europe cough up on defence - pretty major achievements which he will no doubt find a moment to talk about. But isn’t the thing British politicians most need to learn from him - galling though it may be - is his mastery of TV and social media? I talk about this in two interviews with Rory Stewart and Alastair Campbell for The Rest is Politics ([link removed]) where we covered the economy, the future of the Conservative and Labour parties and my rather unexpected elevation to Chancellor..

MEANWHILE THE WORLD CARRIES ON… Last week, China held its first military parade since the pandemic as part of the 2025 China Victory Day Parade, with both Russia’s Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un in attendance. China used the occasion to show offits new military tech ([link removed]) , including new bombers, underwater drones, lasers and hypersonic missiles. If President Xi was trying to scare us, seeing him lined up with Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin rather had the opposite effect on most people I know. Nothing encapsulated the difference between theirs and our values than those pictures beamed around the world. If we were asleep at the wheel before, we certainly aren’t now.

LOCAL LIFE

THESE MOBILE PHONE MEETINGS NEVER SEEM TO END I am now on my 4th round of meetings with the mobile phone operators to sort out our lousy reception. Thank you to O2 for discussing their plans for improving mobile phone signal across Godalming and Ash. This follows my bumper survey data which, together with 02, we are using to cross reference with their improvement plan to ensure no gap is left unfilled. I do actually think we are making progress.

NOT QUITE THE OLYMPIC TORCH RELAY but I am doing a talk in Godalming about my new book Can We Be Great Again? in the Borough Hall on Friday 31 October at 19.30 (bar open from 19.00!). Please come if you would like to quiz me on why we can be more optimistic about our future - and all the evidence for it which is listed copiously in the book. The tickets are free of charge (click here ([link removed]) to secure them) and all authors royalties from book sales locally or nationally go to the new Cancer & Surgical Innovation Centre we are getting built for the Royal Surrey. Talking of which, take a look at this amazing progress ([link removed]) with the build....

SURGERY CALLS Lots of surgery calls today. Firstly to a Shamley Green resident about the welfare reform agenda who was very concerned about the changes to PIP proposed by the government earlier in the year as well as her own experience (dealing with four different case managers for her universal credit) which I am going to take up with new DWP secretary Pat McFadden. I then spoke to an advanced nurse practitioner in Hascombe worried that Lucy Letby’s conviction is unsafe, something I have long thought needs to be looked at. She was also very concerned about the disruption by saboteurs to trail hunting even though it is totally legal, something I will talk to Surrey Police about. I then spoke to a lady who works in Cranleigh about the situation with EHCPs and the importance of reforming - but not scrapping - them. I then spoke to a Blackheath resident about the recent fire and best way to stop people using disposable BBQs.

ALL CHANGE PLEASE and no I don’t mean the Labour Cabinet…the Guildford-Gatwick railway line will be closed ([link removed]) from Sunday 14 to Saturday 27 September 2025 in order to complete the final stage of re-signalling on the line between Shalford and Gomshall. Level crossings at Chilworth, Brook, Tangley and Burrows Lane will be closed in order to install new barriers and signalling upgrades.

RURAL CRIME Sadly a few reports came in over the summer of rural crime and antisocial behaviour so good timing for the first Rural Crime Forum, hosted by Deputy Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner Ellie Vesey-Thompson and Surrey Police leads. Busbridge Village Hall in Godalming on Monday, September 15 - more information here ([link removed]) .

HELP SHAPE NATURE Surrey County Council has launched a public consultation on its draft Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS), a new plan to protect and restore nature across the county. The consultation runs until 25 September 2025 so to take part, visit the Surrey Nature Recovery Commonplace website ([link removed]) .

HIKING FOR PHYLLIS TUCKWELL Well done to the group of teenagers from Ash took part in a one-hundred-mile charity hike along the South Downs way for Phyllis Tuckwell a couple of weeks ago. Ash Vale resident William Drake is still fundraising so if you’d like to make a contribution to this amazing charity, click here ([link removed]) .

WIGGLES & WRINKLES BULLDOG RESCUE Well done to 15 year old Taylor Range who is setting up a charity to rescue Bulldogs - at last count Taylor had rehomed 7 dogs and is now in the process of trying to raise £5k to get charity status. To find out more or to make a donation click here ([link removed]) .

JOIN ME Want to get more involved with my brilliant election-winning team locally? Email me at [email protected] to help support our work in our community. If you would like more regular updates of my work locally and nationally, do follow me onFacebook ([link removed]) ,X (Twitter) ([link removed]) ,Bluesky ([link removed]) orInstagram ([link removed]) (although email me rather than comment for a guaranteed reply.)

AND FINALLY Thanks to the Friends of Guildford Lido ([link removed]) campaign - fantastic Guildford BC have agreed to reintroduce all year round swimming ([link removed]) . For Lido lovers take a look at this history of the Lido ([link removed]) including some excellent photos. In 1933 it cost just £13,700 to build - a steal!

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