GOOD AFTERNOON & welcome to my weekly update no.300...yes that’s right this is my 300th newsletter! If you are one of those who has been reading them right from the beginning this is my chance to say thank you…and - genuinely - that I have really enjoyed writing them. I get help with the research from my brilliant Hindhead team and then scratch my head thinking about what I really want to say to more than 9,000 local subscribers - and growing. Tell your friends they can sign up here!
 

WHAT’S GOING ON IN WESTMINSTER

TRUMP’S TRADE WAR Over the weekend, the opening salvos of Trump 2.0’s trade war were launched. I have generally been positive about Trump’s election on the basis that a strong America means a safer world. But I don’t agree with tariffs for two reasons: firstly a trade war will increase inflation and damage growth everywhere (including the UK and also including the US). And secondly because, as Gideon Rachman writes sensibly in the FT, it will divide the Western alliance when we should be uniting against our opponents.  It seems like the UK may be spared (for now) but if we aren’t my view is we should avoid retaliating. Our goods exports are less than 0.5% of US GDP so Trump is hardly likely to blink first - and we have always thrived on the back of free trade. A quick fact for historians: the UK was the first country in the world to unilaterally remove all trade barriers back in 1846, something that lasted till 1931.
 

BUREAUCRACY BONFIRE Last week, Wes Streeting took a step in the right direction when he halved the number of targets given to the NHS. I would have liked him to scrap all of them for reasons I explain here but this is still positive news. The NHS should learn from how our state schools became the best in Europe: improved capacity, more choice and rigorous inspections. 
 

ASTRA DISASTER Last week was supposed to be the big ‘growth speech’ from the Chancellor but reality intervened with the terrible news that pharma giant Astra Zeneca is cancelling a £450m vaccines factory in Merseyside. Astonishingly Labour decided to renege on a deal that I personally negotiated with CEO Sir Pascal Soriot in 2023. Speeches don’t create jobs, Rachel, but factories do…

WHAT’S GOING ON LOCALLY 

COMPTON CARS Today I was updated by William Bagnall and Jill Eyles about Surrey’s plans to reduce speeding in the village. Very frustratingly, having agreed alongside the police to consider an average speed check camera (as I successfully campaigned for in Witley, Chidd and Bramley), the police have now gone back on their word and ruled the option out. The Parish Council, whilst being disappointed, is also being constructive by trying to improve the current proposals - particularly when it comes to the location of speed tables and chicanes. You can see Surrey’s proposals today (Monday 3rd)  4pm-8pm or Wednesday 5th 11am-3pm in Compton Village Hall. If you can’t make it in person you can give your view here. Then there is a parish meeting for all villagers on Wed 12th Feb at the Village Club at 1930. Both I and the Parish Council will write in support of what the community wants to do.
 

JUSTICE IN SIGHT Waverley Conservative Councillors last Tuesday won their vote to request a review for residents who have become victims of the unintended consequence of CIL legislation. Waverley has been charging some residents ridiculous amounts of CIL (Community Infrastructure Levy) after giving planning permission - with no right of appeal. I met Steve and Caroline Dally last autumn: they had to find a totally unexpected £70k for an extra charge imposed by Waverley for their home extension - meaning they had to remortgage to avoid the threat of imprisonment. Thanks to Conservative Group leader Jane Austin and her fellow Conservative Cllrs the council may now review these decisions. Steve Dally and Cllr Austin were on BBC Radio Surrey (Timestamp 2hrs 7mins) talking justice for those impacted this morning. . 

HIGH STREET PAIN Last week Lloyds contacted me with the news their Godalming branch is set to close. Lloyds confirmed cash transitions can be made at the post office and they will also offer IT support for online banking. Given the success of Haslemere hub, I am looking into whether this could work in Godalming. Another bit of grim news: 69 High Street, owned by Waverley and shuttered for several years, will not reopen for at least another year.
 

SURGERY CALLS My first call was to a Godalming resident about the removal of inheritance tax relief on pension pots in the budget. There has been a lot of discussion about farmers and family businesses being forced to pay inheritance tax but this is a measure that will affect many more and amounts to very unfair double taxation: your pension pot, if you leave it in your estate, gets taxed at 40% but the beneficiaries then have to pay income tax at their marginal rate to access it. For someone who has carefully built up their pension pot over many years it is particularly unfair, something I will raise with Shadow  Chancellor Mel Stride. I then spoke to the Agnes Bailey, Head of Ash Manor School, about her concerns on the uniforms measure in the Schools Bill. You will remember last week I spoke to two local uniform suppliers on the same issue - and Agnes agrees: if schools aren’t allowed branded sportswear, kids will pressure their parents into buying much more expensive branded sportswear. It is a classic example of unintended consequences and wrong for another reason: uniforms are levellers in schools. Without them social backgrounds matter more. Is that really what Labour wants?
 

MILFORD HOSPITAL UPGRADES On track to open before this year is out is the fantastic Milford Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC). I remember negotiating this with Sajid Javid when he was Health Secretary in 2022. Once opened MRI and CT scans will happen on site - a great step forward leading to more cancers being spotted early.

CRANLEIGH ARTS My very first introduction to many Cranleigh residents was a Q & A two years ago in the brilliant Cranleigh Arts Centre. Thank you to Caroline Heslop and her team for making this an award winning venue and vital community resource.This is such a gem of a venue, offering every kind of live music from tribute bands to traditional classical ensembles. The main auditorium has a regular programme of films, live theatre and streamed performances from the Royal Opera House and the National Theatre.  Like everywhere it needs £ to keep going so I will do all I can to support your superb efforts ahead of...drum roll...the centre's 40th birthday celebration this coming June!
 

ASH UNITED needs your help. Founded in 1911 this club has been an asset to the Ash community. So please support Ash Parish Council and Cllr John Tonks who have just ‘kicked off’ fundraising to raise £20,000 for much needed new floodlights - here is the link to donate.  

ASH LODGE PARK COMMUNITY SPACE I've already received over 200 responses to my campaign to find the best use for this space. What use do you think would be best? Let me know what you think so we can keep this space for community use if we possibly can.

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.

AND FINALLY….Dreaming of summer holidays in chilly February? Take a look at this -  fascinating to see Hawaii’s marine wildlife captured when divers left their go-pro cameras unattended on the ocean floor in Maui…

SOCIAL MEDIA If you would like more regular updates of my work locally and nationally, do follow me on Facebook, X (Twitter), Bluesky or Instagram. Please don’t always assume I will see every comment on a post - email is a more reliable way to ensure a reply.