Davey seeks to press Hunt on GPs in Chancellor’s own back yard

Sir Ed Davey will highlight problems with GP appointments on a campaign visit to Jeremy Hunt’s constituency ahead of the Budget (Andrew Matthews/PA)

Jeremy Hunt faces a challenge in his own Surrey constituency just days before the Budget as the Liberal Democrats seek to pile pressure on the Chancellor.

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey is set to visit the Godalming and Ash constituency on Tuesday, the seat the Chancellor has said he will fight at the next election and a key target seat for the third party as it seeks to demolish the Conservative “Blue Wall” in southern England.

Polling by Savanta suggests the Liberal Democrats could be on course to take the constituency, which would make Mr Hunt the first Chancellor of modern times to lose his seat in the Commons.

During his visit, Sir Ed is expected to focus on the NHS and difficulties getting GP appointments, which the same Savanta poll found topped the list of constituents’ concerns.

He is expected to say: “Jeremy Hunt is totally out of touch with patients across the country, including those in his own seat who are struggling to see a GP when they need to.

“The Chancellor must urgently change course and reverse his planned health service spending cuts at the Budget.

“It is no wonder lifelong Conservative voters across Surrey are rejecting Rishi Sunak’s Government and switching to the Liberal Democrats in their droves, with even the Chancellor’s own seat now under threat.

“People know at the next election it is a clear choice between an out-of-touch Conservative or a hard-working local Liberal Democrat MP who will stand up for local health services.”

The Liberal Democrats have claimed that GP funding in Surrey fell by 5.3% in real terms between 2018-19 and 2022-23, while per patient spending has fallen 8.6%.

With the Budget taking place on Wednesday, Sir Ed is expected to call on Mr Hunt to provide more funding for GPs.

Mr Hunt currently enjoys a majority of almost 9,000 votes over the Liberal Democrats in South West Surrey, but boundary changes mean the seat is being abolished at the next election and the replacement, Godalming and Ash, could be more marginal.

Over the weekend, it was reported by The Guardian newspaper that Mr Hunt had donated more than £100,000 of his own money to his constituency association over the last five years, including £32,000 last year.