Welcome to my weekly update no.358
Were you up for the Azteca? The conversation going on up and down the country after one of the most amazing England World Cup games ever. I am not a huge football fan but dutifully set my alarm for two o’clock this morning and was thrilled I did. Not quite in the same category, but another thrill this week was a visit to the new Cancer and Surgical Innovation Centre at the Royal Surrey on Friday which is now built! 
WESTMINSTER WHISPERS
DEFENCE INVESTMENT PLAN Last week the government finally published its defence investment plan – and it was sadly disappointing.. Not only did it fail to find the £28bn in extra funding but much of it was unfunded (so much for castigating me for ‘black holes’ two years ago 🥺). As it happens, the plan has turned out to be a damp squib. With the NATO summit taking place this week, I understand why Sir Keir wanted to publish the plan now but couldn’t Keir have done better if this was supposed to be his legacy, as I told GB News? Was it all the fault of the dastardly Treasury? Listen to my interview with Nick Robinson (0845 slot) if you want to hear why I think that is too simplistic.
MORE MATERNITY SCANDAL I have written many times about my concerns over the safety of NHS maternity units. This week there was a particular controversy when Baroness Amos published the final report of her National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation which glossed over the problem of ‘normal birth ideology’ which still leads too many midwives to avoid escalating problems quickly enough to doctors. Dr Bill Kirkup, a widely respected expert on maternity safety, resigned from the panel writing the report as a result. You can see more about why I am concerned in this letter I wrote to the Health Secretary.
WHAT DO WE WANT FROM THE NEW PM? Many of you have seen and got in touch about my substack essay on the three qualities we need from a Prime Minister. The most important nettle to grasp is the economy so you might also want to check out this CapX’s Capitalist podcast on the need for bold change – and why, sadly, I am not terribly optimistic we will get it. Finally if you like more thoughtful discussions, I took part in Free Thinking for Radio 4 with leading academics on the history of free trade and whether we can keep its benefits in a world turning against globalisation.
LOCAL LIFE
CANCER AND SURGICAL INNOVATION CENTRE IS UP! Who says nothing ever changes? OK it’s taken five years, but after lobbying Simon Stevens in 2021, running four marathons and supporting countless community fundraising events, the new CASIC centre at the Royal Surrey has been built. Just a few final checks and it will start admitting 7,000 patients a year in a way that will transform local cancer treatment. I met Royal Surrey Chief Executive Louise Stead, Project Clinical Lead Dr Geeta Aggarwal and Construction Manager Simon Sturgess for a tour on Friday. The operating theatres and clinical spaces are light, spacious and thoughtfully designed – and it really shows. Take a sneak peek….
Click on the image below to watch the video
BUT…FURTHER DELAYS FOR CRANLEIGH LEISURE CENTRE where work will not now begin until at least early next year which means no new leisure centre until late 2028. Following pressure from residents, businesses and Cllr Jane Austin the council reluctantly confirmed the delay. More transparency on this from Waverley please.
AND LET’S GET ON WITH COMPENSATING CIL VICTIMS who were furious when it was revealed the Council is now holding more than £31 million in unspent CIL funds, generating around £1.4 million a year in interest for its General Fund, despite not paying a penny of compensation to people wrongly slapped with a charge. Only a few days ago, the government confirmed that councils can use their General Fund to compensate householders who should have been exempt from CIL but were caught out by the system. CIL campaigners are celebrating everywhere but Waverley. How about giving them some summer cheer?
“DEAR SURREY HILLS …..” LETTER WRITING CONTEST Feel like celebrating our amazing local countryside? The Godalming Writers Group is running a free to enter letter writing contest on absolutely any subject celebrating the Surrey Hills. There are some attractive prizes provided by local sponsors with entry details at the bottom of this newsletter. All while we bite our nails waiting for ministers to approve the 25% expansion of the protected area we have all been campaigning for over the last three years.
SUMMER READING CHALLENGE IS LIVE! Go on, get the kids off screens and reading books this summer! To help you, libraries across Surrey are doing a series of events, starting with ‘Read to the Beat’ which encourages children to explore how reading and rhythm can spark creativity and imagination. Joining is free - either online or at any Surrey library branch.
BE TICK AWARE! This time of year ticks do appear to be everywhere and I have already removed the first one from our labrador Poppy. They can carry Lyme Disease (around 1,500 cases a year) so check your arms and legs after walking, particularly if you get bullseye rings. Caught early, Lyme disease is straightforward to treat but left undiagnosed, it can become horribly debilitating (and permanent). Visit www.lymediseaseuk.com for more information.
AND FINALLY… PAPAL BLESSING Congratulations to Julian and Jo Lewry from Godalming, who have received a Papal Blessing from Pope Leo in recognition of more than 30 years of voluntary fundraising for CAFOD. A thoroughly well-deserved honour for two remarkable local volunteers and we are proud of you!
