Jonathan was selected as the Parliamentary Candidate for Woking at an Open Primary in September 2009. At the General Election in May 2010 he was elected to Parliament with a substantial majority. 

A successful campaigner over several years to Save the Royal Surrey, Jonathan helped to organise the hugely successful rally in Guildford High Street attended by several thousand people. He is a strong supporter of a more independent future for our main local hospitals – he is delighted that the Royal Surrey has achieved Foundation status and wishes the same outcome for St Peter’s. Elected a Surrey County Councillor in June 2009, he keeps a close eye on local health and hospital issues as an active member of Surrey’s Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

A keen Conservative campaigner in Woking, Jonathan ran a highly successful County Council election campaign in June of last year. He also led the recent campaign that thwarted an energy company’s plans to drill for gas on a beautiful part of our Surrey countryside.

An Oxford history graduate, Jonathan has a background in advertising, marketing and technology and is a former Director of Saatchi & Saatchi. He is married to Caroline, who grew up in this part of Surrey, and they have a son, John, aged nine, and a daughter, Katherine, aged two.

He enjoys playing cricket, going to the theatre and walking in the Surrey Hills. 

Jonathan’s Experience 

Jonathan was, until recently, Deputy Chairman of Surrey Conservatives and, before moving to the local area seven years ago, he was a Councillor and Deputy Leader of the City of Westminster.  During his eight years at Westminster he also chaired the Environment and the Housing Committees. 

He has been a school governor of an inner city school and has served on numerous other boards and voluntary bodies. Jonathan has been asked to be a Patron of charities in Woking and the surrounding area and he is looking forward to advising and helping the local voluntary sector.

Campaigning in Woking

Local people are concerned about the need for local hospital services to be protected, the rise of anti-social behaviour, the provision of services for the elderly, the future of Woking town centre and the availability and location of new housing. 

Jonathan shares all of those concerns and, among other things, he will work with residents to try to achieve the following:  

• Urban renaissance and continued improvements to the Town Centre and our surrounding villages in terms of employment, leisure, recreation and the retail environment - including investment in the Town Centre to provide a better experience for shoppers and business.
• The best acute and chronic healthcare for everyone in the constituency and continued support for the excellent work of Woking Community Hospital and our GPs.
• Ensuring the sustainability of the local economy whilst protecting the environment, the Green Belt and the character of our neighbourhoods. 
• Working to ensure more effective enforcement on the streets to promote a safe and pleasant environment throughout the constituency. 
• Supporting Woking and Guildford Borough Councils, and our residents, in their endeavours to achieve 60% recycling of waste.
• Continued investment in new children’s play areas and in youth schemes that encourage our young people to be active, positive and law-abiding citizens. Encouragement for our schools to achieve even better results.  And support for the wonderful work of our local charities and volunteers.