Councils are cracking down on leafleting by local arts groups and organisations such as the WI - yet are steadily increasing spending on their own publicity leaflets, according to a report published by the Manifesto Club.

The report entitled 'Leafleting: A Liberty Lost?' claims that people in our towns and cities have enjoyed the right to hand out and distribute leaflets freely for centuries – but since 2005 councils have brought in new draconian restrictions.