Tory 'small businesses' letter was written inside Conservative HQ and includes firms that have closed down

The Conservative election campaign fell into a shambles today after questions were raised about the 5,000 'small businesses' who apparently signed the letter

The Tory election campaign span into shambles today when a letter apparently signed by 5,000 small businesses backing the party was revealed to have been written inside Conservative Campaign HQ - and included firms that had been dissolved.

The letter, organised by Tory small business ambassador and Apprentice star Karren Brady, also listed businesses that no longer exist as backing the party.

One business which apparently put its name to the letter, Aurum Solutions, has withdrawn its support, claiming it never signed it.

The letter was published in this morning's Daily Telegraph.

The company asked the Telegraph to remove its name from the letter tweeting: "Our Sales Director did not sign the letter in support of the Conservative Party. Please remove signatory 413 immediately."

The company then confirmed it had been removed from the letter, tweeting: "The Telegraph have confirmed that they will remove our name from this morning's letter. Company policy is to remain politically unaligned."

According to reports, a number of signatories were not in fact small business owners but employees of the companies named.

One of the signatories was Graham Baker, chairman of the Stanley Ward Conservative Club North West.

Data stored in the version of the letter posted on the Telegraph website revealed the file was sent to the newspaper from "CCHQ Admin".

The letter was declared "propaganda", "a shambles" and "a political stunt" by journalist Andrew Neil, who cornered Tory financial secretary to the treasury David Gauke on the BBC's Daily Politics programme.

David Cameron defended the letter, telling 5 News: "Even 4,999 is a huge number of businesses. I don't think it is a stunt. Are these people worth listening to? Absolutely."

"I can't remember an election where small businesses, start-ups, entrepreneurs, sole traders and big businesses as well have all been so unanimous that the Labour Party really represent a risk."

Blogger Alex Andreou discovered the list also contained a number of duplicate entries and the names of two Tory candidates in the general election.

One, Ben Manton, who is standing for the party in Belfast South, signed the letter on behalf of Deanes' Restaurant group, for whom he works as a waiter.

Manton apologised on Twitter, saying he "misread the form".

A Conservative spokesman added: "Representatives from over 5,000 small businesses signed up to this letter supporting the Conservative Party. Everyone whose name was published actively signed up to the letter on the Conservative Party's website."

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Liars, cheats and whores.

What letter?

This letter: