MP Simon Jupp's campaign manager apologises for misleading websites

An MP's campaign manager has apologised for buying website domains in the name of his boss's political rival.

Oliver Kerr, campaign manager for Conservative Simon Jupp MP, registered the domain names for Liberal Democrat MP Richard Foord.

People typing in RichardFoord.uk, RichardFoord.co.uk or RichardFoord.com had been redirected to Mr Jupp's site.

The Devon MPs will stand against each other in a new constituency of Honiton and Sidmouth due to boundary changes.

Mr Kerr said: "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."

Mr Foord said the move represented "a new low for the Conservative Party".

The former Army officer said: "In the Army, we learned 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."

When the story originally broke earlier in April Mr Jupp, MP for East Devon, told the BBC he was "not responsible for the web domains in Mr Foord's name".

Mr Jupp said on Thursday: "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.

"That is the right thing to do and I am glad he's apologised and reflected on his actions."

When Mr Foord became aware of the domain issue he made a data access request to Nominet, the official registrar for .uk websites.

Nick Wenban-Smith, head of legal at Nominet, said the company was able to look into the original registrar of disputed domain names.

Follow BBC Devon on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@bbc.co.uk.