A BRIGHTON-born entrepreneur is prepared to go to jail for offering to buy young people who voted in the General Election a drink, after the Electoral Commission accused him of bribery.

Alex Proud, whose company runs Stanmer House and Brighton Ballroom, emailed more than 500,000 potential voters on Thursday begging them to vote progressively and offering to buy them a drink if they did.

Mr Proud said he was shocked the Electoral Commission took his offer seriously and threatened him with imprisonment and he claimed the body should have better things to do.

The 47-year-old businessman said the offer to buy a drink was a joke but he would make the offer again if it meant more young people went out and voted.

The Electoral Commission warned him he could face a year in jail and a fine for the “corrupt practices of bribery or treating”.

Mr Proud said: “I sent the email out of desperate frustration that young people would not go out and vote and would not have their say. The Electoral Commission sent me a three page letter with pretty dire warnings.

“I wouldn’t have even known if and how they had voted unless they had broken the law by taking a photo in the polling booth.

“We must live in an incredibly unfraudulent society if this is what they focus on on election day – which is not what the investigations in South Thanet would suggest. I’m happy young people woke up and voted and I will continue to offer them free drinks at elections and the Electoral Commission can send me to jail.”

At least four potential customers cancelled bookings in response to the email including one who said he would not hire Stanmer House for a wedding of 96 guests because of the “political message”.

He said: “I can’t believe anyone would cancel a booking because I wanted young people to vote.

“If I had been encouraging them to wear white hoods, I might understand their complaint.

“My political views should not be a surprise to anyone.

“I have a column with the Daily Telegraph and was an adviser to Charles Kennedy.

“I have always supported the moderate, centrist approach.”

Mr Proud said no one took him up on the offer but friends joked they would testify in court he never bought a drink for anyone.