Conservatives emphasise rise in state pension and tough knife crime policies in the Feltham and Heston by-election

By Matthew Barrett
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The Conservative campaign in the Feltham and Heston by-election is putting out new leaflets this weekend.

The first leaflet (pdf available here) details the government's policies for pensioners, listing free eye tests„, free prescriptions,„ free bus passes, free TV licences for the over-75s„, and the Winter Fuel Payment as benefits the government has protected.

With winter on the way, the leaflet has a timely reminder of the government's policies to keep pensioners warm:

• "The Warm Home Discount Scheme will give 600,000 of the poorest pensioners £120 to help with fuel bills„" 
• "Alongside the Winter Fuel Payment, permanently increasing the Cold Weather Payment means eligible households receive an extra £25 for each seven-day cold spell"

The second theme covered is knife crime (pdf). The knife crime leaflet has a graphic front page, featuring a gallery of knives (see below). 

The back page says:

"Under Labour knife crime was out of control with almost 80 per cent of knife criminals avoiding jail. Criminals who were let out of prison early went on to reoffend, including violent offences, rape and murder."

It then lists three measures to combat knife crime:

• Ending the early release policy
• "Any adult convicted of using a knife to threaten and endanger will go to jail"
• "We are introducing a ‘two strikes’ policy so that a mandatory life sentence will be given to anyone convicted of a second very serious sexual or violent crime."