Political parties use Azimuth Print for their leaflets

The European election is over and political parties are now looking at each others leaflets and seeing where they may improve theirs at the general election next year.

Even in the internet age, leaflets are still the best way for political parties to get their message across. We keep a track of how politicians are trying to get your vote, and where they are campaigning.

Politicians spend weeks pressing the flesh and kissing babies while canvassers knock the door of electors ahead of polling and push leaflets into the electors postboxes.

When election time in the UK arrives our letterboxes are filled with political leaflets from all parties keen to get our votes. While we all take inflated political claims with a pinch of salt, seeing misleading or clearly deceptive graphs and stats can take a lot of practice. Political parties often use stats to overstate their claims; to knock their opponents' apparent popularity; and to guide us into tactical voting.

There is little to stop political parties from doing this. Under the current law, candidates are prevented from defaming the character of other candidates in the election. Labour ex-minister Phil Woolas was ejected from parliament in 2010 for just such an error.

Candidates can say what they like about facts and figures such as previous election results. They can mislead voters about how the voting system and stay within the law as currently drafted. That's all 'within the rules'.