Could Jeremy Hunt be the next Prime Minister? His Farnham constituents have their say

  • ITV Meridian's Juliette Fletcher has been gauging opinion in Farnham

Jeremy Hunt has been MP for South West Surrey since 2005.

Among other roles, he served a stint as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and now he's got his eye on the leadership.

Mr Hunt, whose constituency includes Farnham, Godalming and Haslemere, announced he'd join the race to replace Boris Johnson a few days ago.

From Downing Street in Farnham, residents have their own ideas about what they'd like a New Prime Minister to focus on.

Farnham's own Downing Street

One local resident said: "I'd like them to sort the NHS out. I work for the NHS and I do find there's a lot of waste. Jeremy Hunt was the minister for the NHS so maybe if he got in, he could help sort that out a bit more."

Another said: "For me it's honesty and transparency about what you are doing, and not constantly fighting but working together as a team."

Farnham is home to a lot of small businesses. One of Mr Hunt's pledges, if he wins the job, is to cut corporation tax and help grow the economy.

Steve Hamilton from Hamilton's Tea House said: "Taxes are the biggest thing for us as businesses.

"We've had a terrible time, particularly in hospitality over the last three to four years. We came out of coronavirus and we got hit with the economic crisis and the war so I think it's just a little bit of clarity (we need) and help with taxes and a PM that understands what it takes to run a business and to try and help the economy."

Sefqan Ibrahim who runs tailoring and alterations company, Elite Stitch, says the focus should be on the cost of living.

"I have a commuting business. I'm commuting from my home which is 30 miles from here and definitely I am struggling for the cost of the fuel and other things. We were hoping that after covid life would get better and improve, that is the thing that should be put right. "

Candidates for the PM's job will need to have secured 20 nominations from fellow MPs to make it onto the ballot for the first round of voting.

The result will be announced on 5th September.