Two headlines side by side in this week’s morning paper captured a truth no one in politics should ignore.

On one side, the Chancellor declared that “the rich” must “contribute more.” On the other, the Co-op warned that more than 150,000 jobs and 60,000 small shops could vanish under Labour’s plans. That stark contrast tells the story of a growing gulf between the Government and the country it governs.

Since July, the clash between ideology and reality has become plain. The Government’s sharp rise in employer National Insurance has effectively created a jobs tax on hospitality, retail and small business. Local employers tell me they’ve had to cut hours and shelve investment because rising costs leave no room to grow - at places like the Holly Bush in Frensham and the Deer’s Hut in Liphook, to name just two.

Meanwhile, the Government’s surrender of the Chagos Islands has weakened Britain’s reputation abroad and raised questions over its grasp of strategic diplomacy. At home, family farms face mounting pressure from higher taxes, new red tape and soaring energy costs. None of this is theoretical - rural communities are already feeling the squeeze.

Discontent is spreading as swiftly as Sir Keir Starmer’s favourability is falling. Labour confuses redistribution with growth, believing prosperity can be taxed into existence. History teaches the opposite. When government lightens the load on those who create jobs, revenues rise and living standards follow. Ideology may win headlines, but it never balances the books.

None of that changes the immediate challenge for every business in our area: the Government’s tax squeeze threatens to choke local economies. From Farnham and Haslemere to Bordon, Liphook and the surrounding villages, the message is the same - confidence is ebbing, and the cost of doing business keeps climbing. There comes a point when one must sound the alarm. That point is now.

Britain needs a credible plan for growth - one that rewards work, attracts investment and restores confidence. The Conservatives have set out costed, practical alternatives: abolishing stamp duty on main homes to free up housing, scrapping carbon taxes and wind subsidies to cut energy bills by 20 percent, and adopting a fiscal “golden rule” to bring down borrowing through sustainable spending restraint.

Countries with lighter tax regimes consistently deliver faster growth and stronger job creation. A competitive tax base fuels innovation, investment and enterprise - precisely what Labour’s tax grab will stifle.

I take no pleasure in delivering bad news, but the message from every high street and village in our patch is clear: the Government must change course. In Parliament, I will continue to stand up for our community and oppose this ideologically driven Budget.