In an election where interactive or e-campaigning has become more sophisticated than ever before, all the political parties have used new technologies to boost their vote.

In a bid to assess politicians' interactivity the Hansard Society has put party websites to the test.

Using feedback mechanisms featured on the Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat websites the society asked a selection of questions that were not directly linked to the website or the party's manifesto.

All the parties failed the e-electioneering test, marked down both on the speed and the quality of responses - if they responded at all.

"The parties are offering lots of opportunities for the public to interact with them, but for the most part they are failing to provide the kind of authentic democratic interactivity that the internet promises," said Dr Stephen Coleman, director of the society's e-democracy programme.

The Tories were the quickest to respond - though with nothing to boast about - on 13 hours, Labour came in second on 15 hours and the Liberal Democrats dragged their heels on 17 hours.

Labour was most likely to respond - 89 per cent - but most of their answers, 70 per cent, were automated impersonal responses. The Conservatives were the least likely to return e-enquiries, only managing it 56 per cent of the time, but gave specific answers to specific questions.

After taking their time, the Liberal Democrats were hands down winners on the length and detail to their answers and got back to 78 per cent of requests. In one case providing a 10,000 word policy document.

In terms of sheer volume Labour has taken the lead, sending out 50,000 emails and sending tens of thousands of free text messages to unsuspecting mobile phone owners.

Millbank is ready to send out 100,000 text messages and 30,000 emails in a last minute hi-tech blitz.

Text messages will be along the lines of "lets X 2gthr c u thurs 7 4 a Labour of love" and "cldn't give a XXXX 4 last ordrs? vote Labour 4 xtra time".