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 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 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. Nor was there any recognition we are likely to spend more on defence: as Trump’s comments about Putin today 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? In 2024, the UK exported £8.3 billion worth of cars to the US. Whilst reports suggest the UK is ready to retaliate, 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%. That could easily be the difference between having a recession or not.
 

MIGRATION This week, the UK is hosting a two-day summit on illegal migration. Speaking earlier today, the Prime Minister outlined his strategy for tackling the issue. I support the government’s recent decision 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 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 –  ruffled a few feathers, 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 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....

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 in recent months - which has meant lots of traffic through the village. More overnight planned closures 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. 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 following the excellent news that it will be part of the 2,000 hectare Wealdens Heath National Nature reserve. 

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….

TINKER TAILOR LOCAL SPY a moment to pay respects to local resident Oleg Gordievsky the KGB London station chief 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 this June.
 

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.
 

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