Dear Editor,
‘Disgusted’ doesn’t come close. Although even now I am still sometimes surprised by how badly these Tories behave, I am genuinely shocked at what Simon Jupp is up to.
Jupp, the Conservative elected as East Devon’s MP in 2019, is attempting to deceive voters by purloining – for his own purposes – the name of his strongest rival, the Lib Dem Richard Foord, in the run-up to the general election.
Some readers may recall that in the recent past, the Tories have produced election flyers with green print – not their usual trademark blue – and have been a little ‘shy’ to own up that they are campaigning for the Conservatives.
Now Simon Jupp is going one better – or rather, much lower.
Richard Foord is currently MP for the Tiverton and Honiton constituency; in 2022’s by-election he overturned the 24,000-odd majority of the previous incumbent, Neil Parish, the Conservative MP who resigned after being caught watching porn on his phone in the House of Commons. (No sniggering at the back!)
Jupp and Foord will almost certainly be going head-to-head for the new seat which will result from boundary changes and will be known as Honiton and Sidmouth; because of the boundary changes it’s expected to be a tight race and Jupp presumably feels that anything goes.
So if you google ‘richardfoord.co.uk’, ‘richardfoord.uk’ or ‘richardfoord.com’, you are directed not to a webpage from Richard Foord, but to Jupp’s own website. Readers might not credit the sheer brazenness of it and I’d suggest they try it – but I don’t want Jupp’s page to get the hits.
inews reported Jupp’s piece of trickery on 5 April 2024 and also detailed other instances where the Tories – who couldn’t lie straight in bed – have played dirty. In the leaflet for her campaign to be re-elected in May, Devon’s current Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez somehow fails to mention that she is a Conservative. I can understand why she might not wish to be too closely identified with the national party Tories at present, but surely this omission is just deceitful?
Unfortunately, the stratagems employed by Jupp and his ilk are not illegal. Sly, yes. Dishonourable, yes. Insolent, undoubtedly. But not outwith the law.
I feel particularly strongly about this because I live in the constituency and Richard Foord is my MP. For the first time in my adult life, I am lucky enough to have an MP who I feel broadly represents my values and who will try to mitigate some of the damage caused by Conservative policies. Moreover, in another refreshing change, I see my MP constantly working for his constituents: Foord is always visible, always busy. I want him to remain as my MP after the election. I don’t want a Tory MP again and I especially don’t want Jupp.
I want an MP with integrity. Is that too much to ask?
Constituent,
Axminster
