Green Party candidate Simon Harley faces investigation after complaints were made about him allegedly making false and misleading claims in his election material.

Harley has been reported to election officials in relation to the material he has published and the various legally required imprints on his numerous leaflets and letters.

Complaints have been made across the Shotley peninsula regarding Harley's campaigning methods as he makes his first attempt to stand as a candidate for the Suffolk County Council elections, to be held on May 6.

While peninsula candidates Alastair McCraw (Independent) and the Conservative Mary McLaren chose not to cause distress to residents shielding, or self isolating, or just anxious given the circumstances by knocking on doors, Harley has boasted he has imposed himself on doorsteps.

Green candidate Harley has claimed the Peninsula election race is between two candidates when there are four, and has failed to provide any evidence of a survey he claims to have been conducted.

Harley has completely disregarded the hugely popular Alastair McCraw, an Independent candidate who has won the past two Babergh district council elections, and has served Brantham parish council for 10 years, while the Green candidate has never won an election.

Harley has claimed in his misleading election material that Mary McLaren only turns up at election time when she is in fact a regular attendee at Holbrook, Stutton and Harkstead parish council's monthly meetings and also in her role on various committees at Babergh.

Whereas there is no evidence Harley has been seen in any parish, ward or division on the peninsula except his own village, over the past year prior to standing in this election.

Harley claims the election race for the peninsula is only between himself and McLaren but has failed to provide any evidence of any credible survey, while McCraw has received scores of calls and emails from his supporters, and many others have declared they will be voting for him.

A number of residents on the peninsula have also complained about Harley's campaigning methods.

Mr Ratcliffe from Holbrook said he was shocked to have Harley knock on the door and said: "I have done what I have been advised and shielded for more than a year, then this person, who claimed to be a doctor, knocks on the door. I answered and wished I had not, this is not acceptable and I certainly will not vote for him."

Mr J Last from Chelmondiston called Nub News to say: "Is this legal? I supported our Green at the district council election but this person's lies are just not on. Even in an election this sort of thing should not be allowed."

Mr G Pugh from Shotley said: "I'm disgusted by these lies. The leaflet was bad enough but as postal voters we got a dreadful photocopied letter full of misleading information.

"It was laughable really because he said it was between him and the Tory, yet I have an impressive letter from a very credible Independent who I have actually heard of.

"If I see Mr Harley I will tell him Marian and I intend to waste our votes on Mr McCraw."

Harley was contacted for comment and to substantiate all his claims, but failed to do so.

Nub News asked him:

In short, could you explain why you have stated in one of your many leaflets that Mary McLaren is only seen at election time, and has no record of achievement here the Shotley peninsula.

What difference is there between you as Green party member and Mary as Conservative in terms of being told how to vote by your party?

What evidence you have, as you claimed, there are only two candidates in the race when there are in fact four.

Show evidence of the door to door survey you claim to have conducted?

What evidence you have that only you or Mary, as the Conservative candidate can win.

What evidence you have of being an Independent voice, when you are not an Independent candidate?

Also, why you have been knocking on doors of people who are still shielding, and campaigning and causing them distress?

Candidates are legally required to have an imprint on all election material. While Harley's does, they are different from different areas, including printers in Bolton and Hillingdon and addresses in Bildeston and Tattingstone.

Campaigners are set limits on the amount of money they can spend during an election or referendum. The same limits apply whether campaigners use long-standing advertising techniques, such as printed mailshots or billboard, or newer ones, such as emails and online adverts.

Dr Harley has sent out leaflets via In Touch magazine, which comes at a cost, and at least two other separate leaflets were delivered separately. All these costs paid by the Green party will have to be declared and made public after the election.

Electoral law doesn't require claims in political campaigns to be truthful or factually accurate, but it is a crime to make or publish a false statement of fact about the personal character or conduct of a candidate.

Independent candidate Alastair McCraw talks about...

Conservative Mary McLaren's election pledge can be found here.

Labour candidate Keith Rawlings has not made any public election message.