62nd Weekly Newsletter
If I am honest, I was hardly surprised… about yet another Labour U-turn, of course. After the Government abandoned its Orwellian proposals earlier this week, we’ve since seen anaemic growth in the economy as fury around the future of jury trails continues to spiral way beyond Labour HQ’s control. I wait with bated breath to see what’s next - the list should be very long.
Greg
FEATURED THIS WEEK
Labour scraps mandatory Digital ID
Plans to bring forward an unwanted, unnecessary, overreaching and expensive compulsory Digital ID scheme appear to have been abandoned. I regularly spoke against the scheme in Parliament - using the results from my survey which made it clear no-one in our area wanted it. Another U-turn from Labour.
Further concerns about puberty blocker trial
A new state-sponsored puberty blockers trial is set to begin - but information came to light that part of the trial involves a specific romantic questionnaire. This could see children younger than 13 being asked inappropriate sexually explicit questions.
I raised my concerns with the Minister
On-site with the Surrey Highways team
The most effective way to ask your Council to fix an issue with your street is to use the online reporting system. Both Surrey and Hampshire County Councils accept resident reports, and I was out with the team in Surrey to see how they act on a report, work to address the issue and improve our local roads.
Government must protect children’s rights
tect these rights, and I joined a cross-party group of MPs to present it at No 10 on Monday.
SOCIAL MEDIA MUST BE BANNED FOR UNDER 16s
Children are growing up in an online world that is constant, unfiltered and increasingly hostile to healthy development. Social media platforms are designed to capture attention and shape behaviour, not to protect young users. At a meeting I hosted in Bordon with parents and teachers, I heard stark evidence of how easily children are exposed to explicit and harmful material through mainstream platforms, often well before they are emotionally equipped to process it.
That is why I support The Conservative Party’s clear ban on social media for under-16s. Protecting children online should be treated with the same seriousness as protecting them offline. This requires firm, national action that gives parents and schools the backing they need, and puts children’s safety first.
CRIME IN SURREY: MEETING THE CHIEF CONSTABLE
On a visit to Surrey Police HQ in Guildford, Chief Constable Tim de Meyer and I had an extensive discussion about crime and policing in Farnham, Haslemere and the villages between the two. I know from responses to my surveys that safety at home and in our community is something that many of us care about - so I pressed the Chief Constable on how the Force is working to continually improve its performance.
The good news is - especially in the last two years - there has been a strong improvement. Surrey Police, supported by Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend, has seen charging rates double while improving policing on the streets. I raised local issues, including road safety on the A31 through Farnham and residential security and shoplifting in Haslemere. I passed on the feedback I’ve received directly from residents and look forward to receiving updates on how Surrey Police will proceed.
THIS WEEK’S CASEWORK
I held my first surgery of 2026 at the start of the week, speaking to constituents about a range of pressing local and national issues. These included strengthening consumer protections against rogue traders, NHS initiatives around healthy and sustainable diets, apprenticeships and workplace health and safety, and local nursery provision. I have followed up on these discussions by writing to the relevant Government Ministers and sharing briefings with interested parties, and I will keep constituents updated as responses are received.
Aside from my surgery, I have contacted Surrey County Council regarding traffic-related pollution concerns raised by residents, and Hampshire County Council about the condition of local roads. I continue to receive correspondence about fibre broadband installations across the constituency and am awaiting updates from key providers, which I hope will outline more proactive plans for 2026. I have also been contacted by several constituents facing significant delays in receiving their civil service pensions, and I have raised each case individually while also pressing for clarity on whether this reflects a wider issue.
