Welcome to my weekly update no.354
It’s a ‘calm before the storm’ week in Westminster as everyone waits for the outcome of the Makerfield by-election which most believe will lead to a new PM. We also had the horrific murder of Henry Nowak and the very different reactions from party leaders. Locally there was a key meeting with the Housing Minister on illegal traveller encampments and the extraordinary saga of the resident magpie in Godalming Sainsbury's...
WESTMINSTER WHISPERS
HENRY NOWAK Any parent of a child at university will have felt a shiver down their spine at this brutal murder. The police attending the stabbing clearly made mistakes as anyone who saw the very disturbing video can see. And yes, it also raises questions over police training and guidance which seems to elevate racism above all else as the thing police officers fear they will get fired for. But for political leaders, the way we talk about such issues really matters which is why it is just wrong to inflame things. I commented on the murder on the Jeremy Vine show, mentioning of course the tragedy of what happened to Charlie Cosser locally. The best summary of the issues came from Kemi Badenoch in yesterday’s Sunday Times, well worth a read.
CAN WE BE RICH AGAIN? Yes we can! And from the positive response in the media to my new book, many seem to agree that there has been too much doom and gloom about Britain of late. On Sunday I went on Sky News to speak with Trevor Phillips about the book as well as Henry Nowak and Iranian hostages. I also spoke with Camilla Tomminey over on GB News in a challenging but brilliant interview about my own record in office. There were also two separate extracts in the Daily Mail on welfare reform and on public sector reform including my own year long battle with the junior doctors. Jeremy Warner also talked about it in his column in the Telegraph. As with my last book, all royalties go to the Royal Surrey Cancer and Surgical Innovation Centre so don’t miss your copy. If you are really brave you could also check out this 10 minute video on YouTube about how you fund public services and cut taxes, one of the themes in the book.
TRIPLE LOCK There has been a lot of discussion about my call in the book to end the triple lock on pensions. This is a sensitive issue and I am not arguing the state pension should be cut – quite the opposite, I want it to go up with inflation. But any promise on something as important as the state pension must be sustainable and I don’t believe guaranteed above-inflation increases are either affordable or fair for a simple reason: every year we have had the triple lock we have been in deficit. How many people would be happy knowing their generous pension increases are partly paid by loading up debt onto their children and grandchildren? Broader welfare reform is even more important but I believe it should include the triple lock. This is the topic of my next fortnightly email ‘Thoughts from Jeremy Hunt’ which will go out this Wednesday. If you would like to get it, sign up ahead of then for my new Substack email (it's free, non party-political and guaranteed positive!).
LOCAL LIFE
MINISTERS REALLY MUST LISTEN to widespread concerns about abuse of the planning system going on in plain daylight. Last week I joined MPs from across the South East in a meeting with Housing Minister Matthew Pennycookto discuss the growing problem of unauthorised developments on land owned by travellers - massively impacting Alfold, Dunsfold, Wanborough and Bramley. Surrey was well represented and there was broad agreement across parties that this needs to be dealt with. I raised the frustration many residents feel that, once land has been developed without permission, the damage is done and enforcement never seems to happen. I also pointed out how angry people are that the police arrive quickly on the scene not to stop an unauthorised development (because it is a civil not a criminal matter) but to ‘keep the peace’ which feels very much like protecting wrongdoers. I asked why we can’t just ban retrospective planning permission when a stop/enforcement notice has been contravened. No easy answers yet — but I feel the Minister is engaging and we’ll keep pushing to make sure local concerns are heard.
LEAKS…It’s been a frustrating week on water issues locally. I’ve received a significant amount of casework about sewage overflowing into the River Wey and Cranleigh Waters following the return of the great British wet weather — nationalisation is not the answer but surely we need a system where one spell of rainfall doesn’t automatically result in rivers being polluted? I recently met with Peper Harow Fly Fishing Club near Elstead who shared compelling evidence about declining trout numbers and concerns about the impact that phosphate levels and sewage pollution may be having on the River Wey generally. I plan to raise the issue with the water minister in the House later today and have a meeting with the Chris Weston, CEO of Thames Water, tomorrow to press for an update on much-needed infrastructure upgrades, water resilience and action to prevent sewage overflows. With Thames Water still facing an uncertain future, we urgently need clarity on investment and timescales.
…AND MORE LEAKS As if to prove the point many residents in Shamley Green and Wonersh were left without water for 24 hours last week after a major leak caused disruption in Chilworth, with the A248 closed all week. The road is still closed and now not due to reopen until Wednesday.
THE RETURN OF CHOIRBLAST This weekend sees the return of the wonderful ChoirBLASTfestival in Godalming. Over the course of the weekend, more than 100 choirs from around the UK - around 5,000 singers - will fill the town with music, transforming Godalming into a giant non-competitive singing festival, which is completely free to attend! The event was established by a local choir leader, Phoebe Gaydon, who founded the charity to share her passion for group singing, and its myriad benefits, with her hometown. Funds raised at the event help support delivery of a range of community choirs locally, provided free of charge to those who need them most. I encourage you to attend - it's sure to be a joyful and inspiring event! ChoirBLAST Festival | UK Contemporary Choir Festival
POSITIVE READING As you know a theme in my books is positivity. If you would like a dose of local positivity I highly recommend this book by local man Paul Rennie who has lived in Godalming for 31 years. He is a member of the Godalming Writers Group and Tales of Comeuppance is his first book which is a beautifully-written series of short stories based in Godalming all with a moral theme. For those of you as frustrated about litter as I am, there is even a story about a fly tipper who gets his comeuppance…
AND FINALLY Godalming now has a new and very famous resident! For the last six weeks a magpie has taken up residence in Sainsburys causing a huge local debate about what should happen next. Some are worried about food contamination and others about how to relocate a protected bird. But the Godalming Magpie seems to be a dab hand at social media with its own Facebook account and has secured extensive coverage in local press. There are even rumours it might run for parliament, in which case I don’t like the colour of its name badge!
photo credit: Sainsburys Magpie
Useful Links Register to vote - Register to vote - GOV.UK
Report a pothole - Surrey County Council FixMyStreet
Report an issue WBC - Report Issues or Problems | Waverley Borough Council
Report an issue GBC - Report an issue - Guildford Borough Council
Surrey police non-emergency - Contact us | Surrey Police
Citizens Advice Surrey - Home - Citizens Advice South West Surrey
Priority Services Register - https://www.thepsr.co.uk/
