GOOD AFTERNOON & welcome to my weekly update no.306


A big flurry of activity prior to the Easter break. As well as the Chancellor’s Spring Statement we had a wonderful fundraising gala dinner for the new Royal Surrey Cancer and Surgical Innovation Centre and more progress in sorting out mobile phone coverage.

WHAT’S GOING ON IN WESTMINSTER

STATEMENT WITH NO SPRING Last week, Chancellor Rachel Reeves presented her much-anticipated Spring Statement. In general, there were few surprises ([link removed]) because the ground had been well-laid for all the bad news. I was hoping for some radical welfare reforms which I wrote about in the Sunday Times ([link removed]) but was disappointed: as a result there is a very tight margin in the numbers meaning that if markets turn against us or Trump’s tariffs impact GDP, she will have to do more spending cuts or tax rises in the autumn as the Institute for Fiscal Studies bleakly warned ([link removed]) . Nor was there any recognition we are likely to spend more on defence: as Trump’s comments about Putin today
([link removed]) show, a ceasefire in Ukraine seems a long way off.

TARIFF TURMOIL How should the UK respond if Trump puts tariffs on our exports as is now widely expected ([link removed]) ? In 2024, the UK exported £8.3 billion ([link removed]) worth of cars to the US. Whilst reports suggest the UK is ready to retaliate ([link removed]) , I think that would be unwise. US goods exports to the UK account for less than a half of one percent of US GDP so Trump would brush them off like an annoying fly. But more significant is what the OBR say it would do to our economy. If we don’t retaliate it could cause it to contract by 0.6% but if we do it would be a full 1% ([link removed]) . That could easily be the difference between having a recession or not.

MIGRATION This week, the UK is hosting a two-day summit ([link removed]) on illegal migration. Speaking earlier today, the Prime Ministeroutlined his strategy ([link removed]) for tackling the issue. I support the government’s recent decision ([link removed]) to review how human rights law is applied to migration cases as a way of frustrating the deportation of foreign criminals but why on earth did they scrap the Rwanda scheme? Surely deterrence is part of the solution. Labour opposed Rwanda as a ‘gimmick’ in opposition, mainly to hold the Labour family together. Now they are in power they must realise what a mistake that was.

JOBS OF THE FUTURE I recently sat down for a chat with Jimmy McLoughlin on his podcast Jimmy’s Jobs of the Future ([link removed]) to discuss a variety of topics, including tech, China, democracy, and Britain’s place in the world. Some of my comments about how AI will revolutionise future jobs – specifically accountants ([link removed]) – ruffled a few feathers ([link removed]) , but my point stands: AI is going to replace a number of jobs whether we like it or not. Enjoy the interview which is a lot more fun than normal fayre!


WHAT’S GOING ON LOCALLY

MOBILE NETWORKS PROGRESS Good progress: two further meetings upcoming this week with the mobile networks. And last week I took the opportunity just before the Spring Statement to raise atrocious mobile coverage ([link removed]) across Godalming and Ash with Sir Chris Bryant, Minister of State for Data Protection and Telecoms. See my question, heard by the PM and Chancellor, in a packed House of Commons below....
[link removed]
Raising the atrocious mobile phone reception to a packed House of Commons

Reviewing the data from nearly 2,000 respondents, take a look at this graph which shows how bad you (as opposed to the mobile phone companies) think the problem actually is…

THURSLEY TRAFFIC TURMOIL Locals are rightly frustrated following a spate of planned and unplanned closures of the Hindhead tunnel ([link removed]) in recent months - which has meant lots of traffic through the village. More overnight planned closures ([link removed]) weeknights this week I am sorry to report - southbound between 9pm and 6am for maintenance. I have raised Thursley residents' concerns with Surrey Highways.


SURREY HILLS DRAFT MANAGEMENT PLAN 2025-2030 regular readers will know we are still awaiting confirmation from DEFRA of the Surrey Hills National Landscape expansion area but in the meantime take a look at the draft Surrey Hills Management Plan 2025 to 2030 ([link removed]) . If you are a green space lover like me, please do have your say: the consultation on this draft ends on 6th June 2025. Speaking of beautiful spots, see video below from Thursley Common where I stopped off last week ([link removed]) following the excellent news that it will be part of the 2,000 hectare Wealdens Heath National Nature reserve.
[link removed]
Thursley Common last Friday

SHERE PLANTERS Shere Cllr Bob Hughes met with Surrey County Council and the good news is that everyone now agrees the supersized planters need to go! They will be replaced by planters more appropriate for such an elegant village…take a look at the video with Bob back on site with Shere resident Rita….

[link removed]

Shere Councillor Bob Hughes with resident Rita

TINKER TAILOR LOCAL SPY a moment to pay respects to local resident Oleg Gordievsky the KGB London station chief ([link removed]) who defected to Britain after his death last week aged 86. Receiving a CBE in 2007, Gordievsky was said to be Britain's most valuable ever spy who may even have averted a Russian nuclear attack. I had the great privilege of meeting him when I was Foreign Secretary, something I talk about in the book Can we be great again? I am publishing on Britain’s role in the world ([link removed]) this June.

CANCER CHARITY DINNER DANCE RAISES £22K What an amazing evening on Friday by the Friends of the Royal Surrey Charity ([link removed]) at the Hogsback Hotel. The gala dinner raised a staggering £22,000 for the Cancer & Surgical Innovation Centre Campaign. Huge thanks to the inimitable and indomitable Judith Storey and her team for all their hard work and to the event sponsors: CHD Living and Surrey AI. Not forgetting all those attendees who bought raffle tickets and successfully bid for the many auction items - thank you from me and Greg Stafford with whom I did the auction!

QUIZ BOOST TO FUNDRAISING I'm told the recent Inner Wheel Godalming quiz was another fantastic evening. The event which took place at the Masonic Hall made £1,000 which they have kindly donated to the Cancer & Surgical Innovation fundraising campaign. Huge thanks to Hilary Reid and all the ladies who helped organise the event.

JOIN ME Want to get more involved with my brilliant election-winning team locally? Email me at [email protected] (mailto:[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 on Facebook ([link removed]) , X (Twitter) ([link removed]) , Bluesky ([link removed]) or Instagram ([link removed]) . Please don’t always assume I will see every comment on a post - email is a more reliable way to ensure a reply.

AND FINALLY…tomorrow is April Fools day…that special morning each year you can wind up friends, family and colleagues. But did you know this dates back as far as 1698 when Londoners were invited to go see the Washing of the Lions ([link removed]) . Still going strong, my favourite of the 2024 crop was the introduction of 'search and rescue sheep' ([link removed]) on Dartmoor. Enjoy!

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