Tory MP admits campaign staffer set up websites in Lib Dem rival’s name

A Conservative MP has admitted that one of his campaign staffers registered web domains in the name of a Lib Dem rival that directed voters to the Tory’s own campaign website, i can reveal.

As i revealed earlier this month, web domains that purported to link to websites connected to the Liberal Democrat candidate for the new seat of Honiton and Sidmouth instead directed people to the campaign website of Conservative MP Simon Jupp.

While the website links were disabled following the discovery of what the Lib Dems called a “deceit”, Richard Foord, the Lib Dem MP for Tiverton and Honiton asked Nominet, the UK’s registrar for website domain names, to investigate who was behind the ruse.

Mr Jupp, the current MP for East Devon, and Mr Foord have both seen their constituencies abolished under boundary changes and they are fighting what is expected to be a tight race in the new seat.

An email sent from Nominet to Mr Foord on Thursday appeared to show the name of the person who bought at least one of the domains, while the Lib Dems believe the same person was responsible for at least one of the other two.

The richardfoord.uk, richardfoord.co.uk and richardfoord.com web addresses were until 8 April all linked directly to Mr Jupp’s website.

Nominet found that the richardfoord.uk domain was bought by Oliver Kerr, who works part-time as Mr Jupp’s campaign manager and is paid by taxpayers to also work for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority.

It is understood that Mr Foord believes Mr Kerr also bought the .com address as it was purchased at the same time as the .uk domain.

Nominet has offered Mr Foord the opportunity to report the use of his name on domains that were directed to Mr Jupp’s campaign website to its dispute resolution service and said it would investigate the matter if a complaint was made.

Mr Foord is now preparing to bring the matter to the attention of Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards and will also write to Mr Jupp to ask for an explanation.

Mr Foord told i: “This is a new low for the Conservative party. Just this week, we have seen Conservative MPs caught in a honey trap, trapped in a flat, and now a local Conservative MP seeking to trick the public with an online trap.

“In my time as MP, many people in Mid and East Devon who have needed help have been able to contact me through my website. Yet we now find out that the office of Simon Jupp attempted to divert the public with dishonest election campaign tactics.

“In the Army you learn about integrity – it’s a core value in our Armed Forces. These values of honesty and integrity should be key to all those in public life too.

The Office of Mr Jupp has acted deceitfully, and without integrity. This behaviour has no place in Devon.”

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Mr Jupp claimed he was not aware that Mr Kerr had bought the websites in Mr Foord’s name.

“The individual responsible has apologised for making an error of judgement, without my knowledge or approval, and no longer owns the website domains in question,” Mr Jupp told i. “That is the right thing to do, and I am glad he’s apologised and reflected on his actions.”

Mr Kerr added: “I would like to apologise to Richard Foord for buying these website domains. I bought them independently. I wasn’t asked to buy them by anyone.

“I regret my actions and no longer own the website domains in question.”

According to political forecasting website Electoral Calculus Mr Jupp has a 54 per cent chance of winning the Honiton and Sidmouth seat, while Mr Foord is nine points behind on 45 per cent.

Web domains are inexpensive to buy and easy to direct to any website as long as no one has already bought the name.

For example, domain names ending in .uk can cost as little at £10 a year, with the first year coming in at less than £1. A .co.uk domain will cost around the same amount and a .com address tends to be a little more expensive at around £18 a year.Once the web domain name is owned it is a simple process to redirect it to any other website already in existence.