I’ve no doubt that the early hours of this morning quietly marked one of the most significant political events of this Parliament - though whatever the outcome of the impending challenge for No. 10, nothing will solve the fundamental problem that it is Labour at the helm. What is clear, however, is the growing re-ignition of support for the Conservatives, seen through our landslide win in Aberdeen South. I’m proud to be a part of the mission to deliver the future that Britain deserves - a mission that is working.
Greg
FEATURED NEWS
Better mobile coverage in Bordon
I’m pleased to have secured an upgrade to the mobile mast in central Bordon, next to Chalet Hill, as part of my continued campaign to improve mobile signal in our area. There may be some disruption while work is underway, but the upgrade will offer more network capacity, 5G standalone signal and faster download speeds. The campaign continues elsewhere!
Haslemere’s new £2.5m community hub opens
The old school building at St Bartholomew’s Church has transformed into the Link Community Hub, which marked its official opening on Sunday. I was delighted to attend, having visiting the site during construction last year. It’s an excellent multi-functional space, available to book now for any interested local groups. I expect I’ll be holding an advice surgery there soon.
Tug of war, a charity draw, and more in Churt
With summer now beginning in earnest, our area’s thoroughly enjoyable seasonal events are too. I had a a wonderful time at Churt Village Fete. It was great to see so many familiar faces and meet some new villagers too. I drew the winning ticket for the ‘golden brick’, but my highlight was the Tug of War - some things never get old!
Constituency calls in another virtual surgery
I continue to hold regular one-on-one meetings with constituents to discuss anything from complex issues to wider policies. On Monday my surgery covered regeneration plans in Bordon, post-18 SEND support, support for veterans and some local community concerns. If you’d like support with an issue or discuss an idea, just get in touch and I’ll see how I can help.
STOPPING PUTIN’S OIL IN THE CHANNEL
The English Channel has effectively become a transit corridor for vessels funding Russian aggression. That must change. I directly challenged the Government on the ongoing scandal of Putin’s shadow fleet, which continues to evade sanctions and pour billions into Russia’s war machine.
While diplomatic efforts targeting major buyers like China, India, and Turkey are vital, our Armed Forces’ outstanding weekend operation boarding the Russia-linked tanker Smyrtos is exactly what we need to see more of in the English Channel. I pressed the Minister for concrete details on joint working with the Ministry of Defence and international partners to deliver a sustained, robust campaign of interdictions rather than isolated actions. By disrupting this fleet at sea alongside allies, we can help starve Putin of the revenue sustaining his barbaric invasion of Ukraine.
WE MUST NOT BE A ‘DENTAL DESERT’
The growing crisis in NHS dentistry continues to affect far too many people across our community. Access to an NHS dentist is becoming increasingly difficult, and for some it is now effectively out of reach. I made the case on Monday that this is not simply about a shortage of dentists, but about a system that is failing to keep them in NHS practice. The current contract actively discourages preventative care and does not reflect the complexity of modern treatment, while the long-promised workforce plan still has not materialised. Without meaningful reform, the gap between demand and provision will only continue to widen.
I also highlighted the real-life impact this is having locally, from patients facing long delays for urgent care to those forced into costly private treatment following serious illness. In some areas, including parts of our own constituency, access is so limited that “dental deserts” are becoming the norm. I pressed the Government on when they will deliver a credible workforce plan, how they intend to reform the contract, and what steps they will take to ensure fair access in rural and coastal communities. Incremental changes are not enough - what is needed is a system that properly aligns funding, workforce and patient need.
THIS WEEK’S CASEWORK 'WINS’
After continued pressure, we are finally seeing movement on delayed civil service pension payments, and I hope to be able to confirm full resolution in next week’s newsletter. It was also fantastic to see the new bus shelter in Passfield completed - a real testament to community effort - alongside encouraging progress from Openreach, with more homes now connected and further properties due to come online shortly.
I was glad to be able to help secure a swift resolution to recent landline outages affecting residents in Hindhead and Farnham. While it is reassuring that these issues were fixed quickly, it has highlighted how difficult it can be to report faults, and I will be taking this up with BT to push for a better system for residents.
Looking ahead, I have received confirmation that preparatory work for the resurfacing of Station Road, including the A325 Farnham Road crossroads, in Bordon is expected to begin in the coming weeks - a welcome step forward in improving road conditions.
