Surrey Heath Bulletin
Posted by Michael Gove, MP for Surrey Heath, at 16:51, Wed 28 March 2007:
Hi
This is the first in what I hope will be a (fairly) regular series of e-mails which will allow me to keep you up to date on my activities. This follows requests from some of you who have been kind enough to ask me for a bulletin every so often on top of what is detailed on my website, www.michaelgove.com. Before beginning, I would like to thank all of the great friends and supporters who make my work in Surrey Heath and in Parliament so satisfactory and enjoyable - none of the below would be possible without you!
I’ve been busy recently shining a spotlight on the hidden corners of Gordon Brown’s budget. I was on BBC News 24 last Sunday evening dissecting the budget with the Guardian’s Polly Toynbee, discussing the effect of the poor being compelled to pay more in tax. Last Monday morning I was quoted in the papers, and appeared on BBC Radio Four’s Today, drawing attention to the way that home ownership had been made more difficult in Britain.
I was in the Commons Chamber on Wednesday for the budget statement, and back in again on Thursday for the main Budget debate in which the Shadow Chancellor, George Osborne, spoke. It was interesting, to say the least, to observe how a speech which had Labour MPs cheering on Wednesday lunchtime attracted so few of them in support the next day. It was also fascinating to see how poorly received the Budget was in the opinion polls, with more voters marking Gordon Brown down as a potential Prime Minister following his speech.
On Friday, I had the opportunity, at my regular constituency surgery, to talk to a wide range of Surrey Heath residents about their concerns and, again and again, the state of the NHS cropped up. I’ve been working with all Surrey’s MPs, and my constituency neighbours Gerald Howarth in Aldershot, Andrew Mackay in Bracknell and James Arbuthnot in North-East Hampshire, to try and defend our health service. We’ve been alarmed by the proposed cuts in accident and emergency services in our area and we’ve co-ordinated a petition campaign which has attracted more than 10,000 signatures, demanding no reduction in acute services in our area.
Getting out on the doorstep, listening to people’s concerns, and having the opportunity to put those concerns to the Government is integral to my work. Thanks again for all of your help in allowing me to do this.
With every good wish
Michael
PS For those of you who live in Surrey Heath, if you haven't already done so, you should be receiving a four-page newspaper, the Surrey Heath Champion, by the end of this week which details some of what I’ve been doing over the last few months. I’m anxious to ensure that all Surrey Heath residents receive a copy so please do let me know as soon as possible if there are any gaps.
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