CANDIDATES in the Witney by-election clashed in their first major debate of the campaign.

Ahead of a poll on October 20, they answered questions on Brexit, housing, the A40, the NHS, grammar schools and the refugee crisis in Europe at the High Street Methodist Church on Monday night.

Robert Courts was the Conservative candidate, Duncan Enright represented Labour, Liz Leffman the Liberal Democrats and Larry Sanders the Green Party.

The most controversial subjects of the night proved to be the NHS and grammar schools, two key areas of policy for the Government.

There was prolonged applause after a woman in the audience asked 'Is the reinvention of the grammar school system in this country likely to benefit all our children?' and Mr Enright replied: "No."

Oxford Mail:

  • Lib Dem candidate Liz Leffman address the audience

The Oxford University graduate added: "I am a comprehensive kid, I had a terrific education.

"The evidence is clear high-performing kids do well in whatever school system you come up with, but everyone does better under comprehensives."

And Mrs Leffman also drew cheers after declaring the Government should 'leave the education system alone', adding children who failed to pass selection tests would be 'devastated'.

The grammar school reforms were also dismissed as 'hardly worth discussing' by Mr Sanders. He said: "It is a bizarre idea."

But Tory candidate Mr Courts insisted the plan, which has been championed by new Prime Minister Theresa May was 'about flexible ages of selection, so you can go back and try again'.

Oxford Mail:

  • Tory candidate Robert Courts, who supported grammar schools

He added: "It is not a return to the past. This is about keeping choice in the system."

Meanwhile, another member of the audience asked whether it was possible to introduce a 'seven-day NHS' when funding was already 'strained'. 

Green candidate Mr Sanders responded by warning the situation in the health service was 'more desperate than most people know'.

He said: "In Oxfordshire we will have a £200m gap in our NHS' finances by 2020. If those kind of cuts are made, we will not have a quality health service or a safe one."

Mr Enright and Mrs Leffman also agreed the NHS needed 'more funding', pointing to the proposed closure of Deer Park Surgery in Witney as evidence of this.

Oxford Mail:

  • Larry Sanders, who is standing in Witney for the Green Party

But while Mr Courts said he would campaign to keep the surgery open if elected, he said more cash could only come if the country had 'a strong economy'.

He added: "The Conservatives have put £10bn more into the NHS. The money is being put in."

Speaking after the debate, Gavin Fielding, 22, who asked a question about refugees, said: "All of the candidates were very responsive, but I was impressed by Duncan Enright and Liz Leffman."

But David Richardson, 81, said: "There was no one I thought was particularly outstanding."

Witney Churches Together, the organiser, said the UK Independence Party was invited but did not respond.