Read my latest news and views…
Is there anything they won’t tax?
Death and taxes. The two things that we all know are guaranteed in life; and there seems to be a growing feeling that there is not much that governments would not slap a tax on.
The Chancellor has set the date for her next budget - 26th November - almost as late as she possibly could. Undoubtedly Rachel Reeves has plenty of challenges ahead, many of her own creation, and she will need every day between now and then to try to balance the books.
The headline debate is always of course about how much tax we pay. I would certainly be in the “we pay too much camp”. As a Conservative I believe in a strong, effective, but small state. Recognising that individuals, families, businesses and communities have the ability to get on with doing most of the things that we want in society. That the solution to every problem is not necessarily more government.
Responding to concerns about policing in Thames Valley
In my opinion Thames Valley Police misjudged the handling of a complaint regarding a Facebook comment made in March of this year.
From my understanding the comments appear to be rude, ill-judged, unpleasant and offensive – but thankfully being rude and causing offence is not a crime.
The loophole in the Government’s drink-spiking law
Spiking - giving someone drink or drugs without their consent - is an awful crime. In the worst cases we know that it can kill, and sadly it is a tactic we know some criminals will use to rape or sexually assault their victims.
There is a BIG problem with the new law the Government is trying to pass to deal with this. A problem that could mean that some people could get away with it.
Rural crime falls by 17% across the Thames Valley
I made tackling rural crime a priority when I was elected, and now Thames Valley has an outstanding Rural Crime Taskforce, which has conducted hundreds of investigations and provided invaluable crime prevention advice to rural residents. This concerted effort is clearly having an impact, leading to the downward trend in rural crime trend we are now witnessing thanks to our funding and our commitment to support farmers.
PCC welcomes Emergency Services Day 2025
“I would like to thank all those who work in our blue light services for their selfless dedication in keeping communities safe, and helping those in need 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
“If you feel inspired to make a difference in your communities, visit the Thames Valley Police Careers website to explore your entry route as a police officer and start your application today.”
Is it really your bank calling?
Sadly we know that one of the most common crimes that we can all be vulnerable to is fraud. It can take many forms but impersonation of your bank, a government agency or even the police is a tactic that many criminals will use.
If you receive a suspicious call, independently contact your bank or the relevant agency using an official telephone number – do not use numbers given to you by the cold caller. But who has the time to dig out and verify a number for your bank?