A correspondent has provided this quick take:

Mr Jupp read from a script and used it to criticise EDDC about housing. I did not hear him congratulate EDDC for having a vote of no confidence. [Owl can confirm that he did not].

Mr Jupp was very proud when people praised him for being a fellow Janner [dialect term for those coming from Plymouth]. Luke Pollard – Labour and Kevin Foster – Conservative MP for Torbay. who left Plymouth at 18 to go to Warwickshire University and lived Coventry until his return to Torbay to become the MP. Mr Jupp beamed every time someone congratulated him in terms of putting the debate. 

When Mr Jupp spoke I didn’t hear him mention Jo Bateman, the Exmouth swimmer. [Confirmed, he did not]. However, Richard did refer to her. Jo Bateman went to the House of Commons on Monday. She didn’t even see her MP, Mr Jupp. Wouldn’t it be etiquette for him to welcome a constituent? 

Mr Jupp asked Richard about the Libdems policy concerning the Libdems position concerning the Environment Agency and Ofwat.  Richard clarified that the Libdems wanting to replace Ofwat. If Mr Jupp was that concerned about the Libdems policy why does not look like on their website? It quite clearly states: “

• Strengthening the Office for Environmental Protection and providing more funding to the Environment Agency and Natural England to help protect our environment.
• Ending sewage discharges by transforming water companies into public benefit companies, banning bonuses for water bosses until discharges and leaks end, and replacing Ofwat with a tough new regulator with new powers to prevent sewage dumps.“

It seems to me that neither Mr Jupp or Robbie Moore [The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs] had a grasp of what the Libdems policies are and were keen to focus on the Lib dems wanting to abolish Ofwat with no understanding that the Libdems wanting to replace it with a tough new regulator. 

Mr Jupp at the end was keen to state that the Libdem policies were as clear as mud. [Indeed “clear as mud” were his last words in the debate]. Unfortunately for Mr Jupp, the electorate has no idea what the Conservative Party stand for with all their different groups – One Nation, New Conservatives, National Conservatism etc and then he wonders why the Conservative Party are underperforming in the polls.  

As far as the debate was concerned there was no real outcome. When Richard Foord asked Mr Moore why he didn’t turn up there was no reply. 

[Owl will pick over the entrails in due course]