Letter: The Time for Luxury Beliefs and Choices Is Over

Published on: 30 Oct, 2025
Updated on: 30 Oct, 2025

From Angela Richardson

former Conservative MP for Guildford

In response to George Potter’s comment on: Voters Should Decide How They Are To Be Governed Locally

A level 2 County Deal [devolution to single local government institutions without a directly elected mayor] was on the table prior to July 2024. After July 2024 it was unitary councils and a mayor.

It is ultimately the Secretary of State who says yes or no to local government reorganisation. It might appear like a bottom up approach with the county council having to apply and boroughs and districts being consulted, but it is a ministerial decision as to whether it is two or three unitaries for Surrey.

Given the restructuring, isn’t it better value for the taxpayer to elect councillors to a four-year term in the new structure than to hold two sets of elections two years apart?

I would hope Cllr Potter has some regard to financial stability and accountability to taxpayers over short-term political opportunity, but perhaps I hope in vain.

Given the work that he and his Liberal Democrat colleagues did to usher in this disastrous Labour Government, perhaps he is not as worried as I am about the upcoming budget.

But perhaps he has spent so many years bashing Conservatives, he doesn’t know how to hold this Labour Government properly to account.

That is the job of the Conservative Party. The Lib Dems cannot provide an opposition as they cannot seem to decide which side of the fence to climb down on.

When you don’t stand for something, you will say anything to get elected and then you end up delivering nothing for fear of offending the people who voted you in to make themselves feel virtuous.

The time for luxury beliefs and choices is over – even in prosperous Guildford.

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