Simon Jupp has made these strong claims in his recent election flyer (see images below). Are they true or false? 

Owl sends in the ferrets.

What the ferrets say is that Simon Jupp couldn’t be bothered to turn up when the campaign was launched at a large public meeting on 3 November 2023. Nor did he turn up for any subsequent meetings. 

So it is not surprising that he wasn’t chosen to be on the 10 member local committee. Since there are only 2 Lib Dems on the committee they can’t be described as “controlling” it either, indeed it is genuinely cross-party and includes conservatives. He eventually contacted one of the committee members, and in the end three of them had a zoom meeting with him.

But why should he be part of the campaign? Until the election was called, Simon Jupp was MP for East Devon. Seaton’s MP was Richard Foord, MP for Tiverton and Honiton. So this local issue lay outside his “Parish” – so to speak. He should have been devoting all his energies on sorting out his constituents’ problems in Exmouth, Cranbrook and Sidmouth. 

The ferrets also question whether Simon (gofer in the Department of Transport) has any relevant experience in saving hospitals. It is Tory policies that are closing them and Simon is as loyal as they come.

“This government will have integrity, professionalism and accountability at every level.” – Rishi Sunak on being appointed PM

It looks like Partygate all over again – Owl

Harry Yorke, Caroline Wheeler, Gabriel Pogrund www.thetimes.com (Extract)

A senior Conservative official is being investigated by the Gambling Commission over allegations he placed dozens of bets on the timing of the election before it was announced publicly.

Nick Mason, the Tories’ chief data officer, has been informed by the watchdog that he is part of the inquiry. After being approached for comment, the Conservative Party confirmed he has taken a leave of absence.

He is the fourth Tory to be named since the controversy first erupted, with a police officer who was part of Rishi Sunak’s close protection team also under investigation.

[There is a moral in this image – never mess with an Owl]

Mason allegedly placed small bets each worth less than £100, but would have stood to win thousands of pounds based on the odds

In an interview with the Sunday Times, Michael Gove, the outgoing levelling up secretary, likens the controversy to the partygate scandal that dogged Boris Johnson’s premiership.

“It looks like one rule for them and one rule for us,” the Tory cabinet minister, who is not standing again at the election, told the Sunday Times.