You couldn’t, Adam and Eve, it! Ged Hall, a former Tory Waverley Council Tory Deputy Leader and best mate of former SW Surrey MP Jeremy Hunt, is standing for Reform.
Farnham and Bordon is a new constituency comprising part of the old South West Surrey area and parts of neighbouring Hampshire. South West Surrey was Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s former seat; he now stands in the new Godalming and Ash constituency.
The Farnham & Bordon seat could be one of the closest contests in Surrey. Election Calculus and Election Maps project that the Liberal Democrats are on track to win, while YouGov forecasts a very narrow Conservative win.
It feels like only yesterday, but as they say, a day is a long time in politics, that Jeremy was promoting his friend and former Deputy Leader of Waverley to capture a Tory Surrey County Council Tory seat in Haslemere.
Ged says his decision to stand for Reform is based on his belief that a new, voter-focused approach is needed and that the main political parties have deserted their founding principles. His key priorities are Jobs, Education, and Healthcare.
What a difference a year makes
Here’s the line-up for the seat Hunt claims he could have easily captured but preferred to go closer to his old home stomping ground in Shere.
Ged Hall, Reform; Don Jerrard, Hampshire Independents; Alex Just, Lab; Claire Matthes, Green;Greg Stafford, Con; Khalil Yousuf, Lib Dem
Vote Reform – anything else is left wing
So we saw Ged telling how passionate he was about improving Haslemere – and then stands for Farnham for a different party.
We saw Ed McGuinness declaring how he suddenly is passionate about where he is standing (as a replacement for Gove) and Ed. then tweets photos of himself moving into his new home in the constituency… but fails to mention it is an AirBnB let.
We saw the local Tory candidate Adam Hanrahan listing his deeply held Tory values and professing he has direct experience of fighting Labour in the election – but fails to mention that experience was when he was a LibDem Councillor in Sheffield.
We hear Jeremy Hunt declaring his total and utter support for the anti-fossil fuels campaigns locally – but votes against the fracking ban.
And we had Jane Austin declaring her passion for Bramley and Wonersh and Waverley and then standing for a seat as a Liverpool MP.
Can we ever trust a Tory? It seems their priorities are always party and self first so everything they say to the contrary is a lie.
Whenever we mention these things we are accused of lying, bullying and vitriol. As we so often say, Tell the Truth, or Someone Will Tell it for you. Thanks Ron for elling it as it is.
I wonder if the anti Tory Waverley Web will be as active when Labour are elected?
Is it anti Tory to post on the subject of a former Tory and Deputy `leader of WBC standing for Reform? Or is it telling it as it is? The WW will be among the first to congratulate Jeremy Hunt and Angela Richardson and others if and when they are elected by the public.
If Labour is elected, surely? Unless you know something we don’t.
As a resident of the new constituency I feel inherently let down by all parties. All of the brochures, leaflets etc we’ve had through the door have been focused on issues in Bordon and Alton; the only mention we have had of Farnham/Haslemere is to do with pollution along the wey from a candidate (lib dem) who doesn’t live in the constituency.
Feeling thoroughly let down. I thought I was supposed to be voting for my local representative not a parachute candidate or on generic issues.
I think many residents will share the views you express Brian. Imagine the people of Liverpool asked to vote for Jeremy Hunt’s election Agent. A Wonersh & Bramley Waverley Councillor, who we doubt has been anywhere near Liverpool during the election campaign. Is it any wonder the voting fodder is losing faith in the system.