Winchester Tories launched their election campaign by welcoming shadow chancellor Oliver Letwin to their offices for a grilling by pensioners.

Mr Letwin was interrogated by a handful of the city's concerned elderly about the Conservatives' plans and promises for pensions and council tax.

Pensioners were told the Tories plan to cut council tax for the over-65s and bring the state pension in line with earnings.

"It's not just affecting you, it affects much younger people in turn," Mr Letwin said. "More and more people are dependent on means tested benefits. People are saying it's not worth saving because if you save, you lose out through means testing."

He told the pensioners he would personally guarantee their pensions increased without cutting any of their other benefits. Mr Letwin stayed talking to the pensioners for ten minutes before getting a train to Southampton.

Shirley Howell, of Martyr Worthy, who grilled the shadow chancellor vigorously on the subject of pensions, said afterwards: "I heard he was coming and I wanted to have a chance to clear things up about pensions. I wanted to put it to him personally and if he doesn't do what he has promised I will go up to London and sort him out."

Mr Letwin stopped by to lend support to the city's Conservative parliamentary candidate George Hollingbery. Also standing for election should be current MP Mark Oaten for the Liberal Democrats, Labour candidate Patrick Davies, UK Independence Party candidate David Abbott and Independent candidate King Arthur Pendragon. Nominations to stand for MP for Winchester will close on April 19 and the final list will be confirmed then.