An election watchdog has gone to the High Court to get information concerning election expenses run up by the Conservatives in key target seats, thought to include South Thanet.

The Electoral Commission has issued a statement that that it had applied for what is a “document and disclosure order” under its powers to probe allegations about breaches in election law.

Claims about the party’s expenses were first raised by Channel 4 news which said it believed there was evidence that some expenses were not properly recorded.

Had it done so, the party - which has firmly denied any wrong-doing - would have exceeded spending limits.

The party said it had provided the information and the court action was unnecessary.

Channel 4 said it understood that the court action also included information about spending in the Rochester and Strood by-election in 2014.

The Electoral Commission is probing the expenses returns in several constituencies.

It would not comment on whether its application to the court involved documentation about South Thanet, the seat where Ukip leader Nigel Farage fought unsuccessfully.

However, in February the watchdog confirmed that it had launched an inquiry into expenditure during the election campaign in South Thanet.

That investigation is focusing on whether the Conservative Party met their reporting obligations under the Political Parties Elections and Referendums Act (PPERA) 2000.

In particular, the commission is examining two areas:

The first is whether the spending reported by the party in its spending returns in relation to the Royal Harbour Hotel, Ramsgate, was not national campaign spending and therefore should not have been included in the party’s return.

The second is whether spending on the Premier Inn Margate was national campaign spending and therefore should have been included in the party’s campaign spending return.

In a separate development, Kent’s new Conservative crime commissioner Matthew Scott said he would not interfere in any police inquiry into the allegations.

Kent Police is weighing up whether to seek a formal extension to a deadline for launching an inquiry into the same expenses claims.

Mr Scott, who took office today, said: “I will not interfere in any investigation. It is for the police to decide if they want to pursue it. Any complaint that comes across my desk - and I have had one about this already - I will make sure is dealt with fairly. Any complaint, whether it affects my party or not, will be given the same attention as it deserves and I will not interfere with any decision.”