"DISTURBING" election leaflets have been put through doors in Southend and Leigh, which seem designed to look like they are from the Conservative Party - despite having nothing to do with them.

With the Southend West by-election taking place next month, a number of leaflets have been distributed with the words 'Election Communication' and 'Vote Conservative' at the top.

They also feature a similar shade of blue to the one used in official Conservative Party material, and have a picture of Boris Johnson.

But across two pages the leaflets make a variety of claims about immigrants and asylum seekers, saying that they "push down wages for British workers".

Councillor Tony Cox, leader of the Conservatives at Southend Council, said: "The public should be aware that this was not published by the Conservative Party. It's got nothing to do with us.

"We don't associate ourselves with its contents. It's disgusting."

The leaflet also criticises the government for offering British passports "to over 5 million Hong Kong residents". In fact, the government offer was for people with British National (Overseas) status to apply for citizenship, but only after six years of living and working in Britain.

 

No party or candidate is named in the leaflet, other than the Conservatives who are named five times. The leaflets are only attributed to 'the Campaign for Truth in Politics' along with a PO Box address in West Yorkshire.

The same address is also registered as the base of Patriotic Alternative, a far-right political movement whose policies have included deporting people of "migrant descent" including those with British passports, and opposing all immigration other than two people who have British ancestry, cultural links or ethnicity.

Mr Cox added: "These leaflets have not been produced by us, and this is not something we would ever publish.

"It's disturbing and alarming."

Councillor Kevin Buck, who is deputy chairman of the Conservative Southend West constituency party, urged voters to look critically at the leaflets.

He said: "Any official electoral material from any party or individual should always be an imprint identifying who is responsible."

Patriotic Alternative were approached for comment.

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