Merve Topaloğlu couldn’t believe her ears when she heard Chancellor Jeremy Hunt say that earning £100,000 yearly isn’t considered a lot. As a 34-year-old former Turkish reporter operating a café on Godalming’s High Street within Hunt’s own Surrey constituency, she knows that her café doesn’t even make near that amount annually.
Topaloğlu is baffled by how disconnected the statement seems, considering that politicians often claim to understand the common person’s experience, but remarks like Hunt’s suggest a lack of awareness about living on much less than £100,000.
Jeremy Hunt has represented South West Surrey since 2005 and made the controversial comment while addressing a constituent’s concern about the unavailability of the government’s free childcare scheme for those earning above £100,000. The Chancellor expressed his desire to resolve this issue post-election, acknowledging that such an income may not stretch far in areas like his, especially with a mortgage to cover.
The backlash was swift from opposition members, campaigners, and commentators who cited Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures showing the average full-time UK salary to be £34,963, with earnings above £81,357 placing one in the top 5% of earners. Furthermore, midterm salary estimates for his constituency sit at around £56,606, while the average in Godalming is about £34,000, says the town council.
When asked to elaborate, Hunt pointed out that what seems like a substantial salary doesn’t go far with average house prices of £670,000, mortgages, and childcare costs in his area. This sentiment was echoed by Topaloğlu and over a dozen other local residents, who agreed that Surrey is pricey but also posed the question: if people with £100,000 salaries find it hard, what about those earning much less?
The Chancellor’s offhand remark has fed into the narrative that the Conservative party, after 14 years in governance, might be losing touch with the majority. It also highlighted the growing issue of housing affordability.
Retiree David Johnson, 77, understands Hunt’s point about living expenses but asserts that the house prices are “absolutely bloody ridiculous,” making them unfeasible for locals and more likely targeted at wealthier individuals from outside the region. The local estate agent’s listings, including a multi-million-pound property near Hunt’s residence in Hambledon, further illustrate this imparity.
Raymond Brown, a 75-year-old lifelong resident and barber, concurs that while property is expensive, even those with high salaries like his granddaughter and her husband struggle to enter the housing market, let alone those on lower incomes that are common in the area.
Paul Follows, a county councillor and the Liberal Democrats’ candidate set to challenge Hunt in the general election, points out that despite Surrey’s affluent reputation, there are still pockets of severe hardship. He suggests that…
“People with high incomes like £100,000 have more financial flexibility than those earning much less, and these individuals find such statements deeply insulting,” Follows comments. “Hardworking people are having trouble making ends meet.”
A caption reads: “A run-down house in Godalming.” (Photograph provided by Graeme Robertson/The Guardian)
Follows observes that the pandemic, coupled with the cost-of-living crisis, has pushed many who were barely managing into a state of emergency. He notes that every town now has food banks, which are surprisingly essential and increasingly used in Surrey.
In the 2019 election, Hunt won with approximately 9,000 more votes than Follows, a decrease from the Tory majority of 21,600 in 2017. After some boundary changes, the constituency is now known as Godalming and Ash. There is speculation that Hunt might become the first chancellor in modern times to lose a general election. Records from the Electoral Commission show that over the past five years, he has donated over £100,000 to the South West Surrey Conservative Association to improve his election chances.
Karen Milton, a food bank manager, says that although the food bank was meant to be a temporary solution started during the pandemic, it is now servicing more people than ever. Many of their clients are employed, but their salaries aren’t enough to cover all their expenses.
“We offer a sympathetic ear and understand that without the food bank, many would be in severe hardship. Initially, when we distributed flyers in Waitrose, many shoppers were in disbelief about the need for a food bank here,” Milton states.
Hayley Collier, relying on the food bank in Godalming’s Ockford Ridge council estate, expresses that the food bank is crucial for feeding her children and herself. She lives on disability benefits, as does her daughter, which barely covers their rent and petrol.
Collier finds Hunt’s remark about £100,000 not being a significant amount extremely distasteful and insulting, mentioning that even £10,000 would significantly impact her life.
