WHAT A TANGLED WEB WE WEAVE

Ealing Southall

What on earth are Conservative campaigners in Ealing Southall up to?

First Tory byelection manager Grant Shapps appeared to post a message on Libblog LibDem Voice in the guise of a downbeat Lib Dem who was losing hope (this strategy, the Backbencher understands, is known as "astroturfing" in webspeak).

Then Grant explains to Iain Dale that someone hacked into his YouTube account (the password was 1234) and was impersonating him. Now people calling themselves "Pete Burton" and "sadboy" - appropriate, the Backbencher feels - have been posting similarly defeatist comments. Both share an IP address with a Tory councillor in Sutton, Tim Crowley.

The Lib Dems suspect, understandably, that the three are in some way related.

Sadboys. Get off the blogs. Get some leaflets printed. Talk to some constituents. And if you're going to do subterfuge, have some ambition.

Guardian Unlimited