Liberal Democrats contacted lawyers over a rival’s election leaflet they say was a lie.

Ian Stotesbury was standing to represent North Watford in the Hertfordshire County Council and to represent Leggatts ward in a Watford Borough Council by-election but lost out on both seats.

Mr Stotesbury is standing as the Lib Dem parliamentary candidate in the General Election on Thursday, June 8.

The Labour leaflet said: “The Liberal Democrat candidate in North Watford hasn’t told you the whole truth.

“He’d need to resign [from the councils] and cause two by-elections within weeks – what a waste of money.

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“He would be a ‘here today – gone tomorrow’ councillor chasing a parliamentary career.”

Hertfordshire County Council Liberal Democrat group leader Cllr Stephen Giles-Medhurst said: “Their leaflet was a lie, he could have been both the councillor and the MP.

“We have contacted our legal team as the pamphlet probably has affected the outcome of today’s election.

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“It is completely wrong of them to mislead in this way and the tactics they have used are shameful.”

Mr Stotesbury said: “Of course I am disappointed that I wasn’t chosen as I was looking forward to serving the people and I think the pamphlet probably did have an impact.

“I’ve got into politics not as a politician but to raise the bar, and it is a real shame that Labour have stooped to this level. “ The parliamentary hopeful currently works as an engineer designing parts on spacecraft but will take on Conservative candidate Richard Harrington, who has served as Watford MP since 2010.

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Watford Labour Party chairman Mike Jackson said: “The Labour leaflet informed the electorate of something that Ian Stotesbury failed to mention in any of the leaflets he delivered to the voter.

“It’s not possible to be part of a council that meets up in the day, one that meets in the night as well as being an MP, he was using this election to give him a bounce.

“He was chosen as the Liberal Democrat candidate in the case of a snap election, he could have withdrawn his candidacy from one of the councils.

“He failed to tell the electorate about this, and ultimately it blew up in his face.”