Who was the person who faked the Norman Lamb Facebook profile? (Updated)

Assemble the following pieces of evidence about the faking of a Norman Lamb group and profile on Facebook and draw your conclusions:

a. The fake Facebook profile gave as Norman’s email address norman_lamb@hotmail.co.uk
This isn’t a genuine email address for Norman or any of this staff.

b. Emails have been sent from that email address to various people.

One of the emails stated:

I hope you are impressed about how I have damaged both the Liberal Democrat and Conservative candidate in one act in my constituency North Norfolk.  I’ve kept it a secret until now because I wasn’t sure if it would work and it has.  Our party should be very proud of me.

This implies either the faker was doing it on behalf of Labour or UKIP, or is trying to deliberately point the finger at them to cover their own tracks.

Another stated:

I setup the profile because I am a great fan of Norman Lamb and I wanted to give him a head start.

This is clearly inconsistent with the previous claim but leads to the same conclusion.

Both emails were sent from the same IP address.

c. The very same IP address was also used to repeatedly vandalised the Norman Lamb profile on Wikipedia and also to add positive references to his Conservative opponent.

Amongst the Wikipedia edits is a plug for an anti-Liberal Democrat film which tries to pass itself off as an official pro-Liberal Democrat film (for example, in the YouTube description: “Watch the video to find out why you should re-elect the Liberal Democrat run North Norfolk district council” and the start of the film, which says it is “the Liberal Democrats broadcast for the local elections”).

The same username as that used on YouTube to upload the film – daisydukew – has also been used to make pro-Conservative comments elsewhere online on the Channel 4 website.

d.The same IP address has also been used to make – deep breath – eleven different comments over four days on Liberal Democrat Voice claiming to be from seven different people (plus a couple of anonymous ones). [UPDATE: It’s now twelve comments from eight different people: see below].

It must be like Piccadilly Circus at that computer!

All of the names given are names that haven’t been used before to post on this site. One thing they all have in common is that where they try to place responsibility for the faking on anyone, it is always someone other than the Conservatives.

Here is the list of comments in all its glory, along with extracts from them:

James Beck: “I know for a fact it was a UKIP activist”

Charlotte Steels: “I bet it was setup by a supporter of Norman Lamb”

Charlotte Steels again: “When I say supporter I mean a closet supporter who Norman Lamb didn’t know about”

Alex Solomon: “Charlotte Steels I think has got it right … I can’t see the Tories gaining from setting up a group”

Anonymous: ““Norman Lamb accountability society” has been on Facebook since April. I know because a female invited me to join then.”

Alex Solomon again: “The Tories want to end their negative perception and I have heard them say they will just ignore the Liberals. People have been telling me the Tories don’t want to get involved in sleaze politics because it’s wrong and more importantly they would not get away with it.”

Anonymous again: “I reckon it was someone who disliked both Norman Lamb and Trevor Ivory … It could have been someone disappointed by both with no party ties maybe.”

Jason Anyassor: “Anonymous is probably right about someone who did not like Lamb or Ivory … Wouldn’t surprise me if Labour played this cheap trick.”

Grace Clarke: “We still haven’t been told what the IP address is.” (Here’s a clue: IT’S YOURS!)

Sarah Makepeace: “At first sight it sounds like not a fan. However as a psychologist I can tell you maybe just maybe the fan realises that there is evidence out there which could be used against Norman Lamb and therefore felt it was better to confess to the accusations.”

Mary Samson: “I think we Liberals want to believe it was the Tories, but I honestly think they have more sense believe it or not.”

Phew.

UPDATE: They’re back! Same IP address! Different name! Shortly after this posting went up, a comment from Shane Cruise was made on my first Norman Lamb / Facebook Liberal Democrat Voice posting from that same IP address. I guess they haven’t yet read this posting…