Ukip leader Nigel Farages says he is confident the party complied with the spending rules at the general election battle in South Thanet.

It follows claims raised by the Daily Telegraph the party had split many of its expenses claims between Mr Farage and the party’s local council election expenses.

The newspaper claimed its analysis of election returns had shown that the share of some office costs and the expenses for a public meeting had been attributed more to council election candidates than to Mr Farage.

The paper said that had helped minimise the expenses incurred by Mr Farage.

But the party leader said he was confident that there had been no breach of the rules.

“I am totally confident that we did the job professionally, properly and completely within the law,” he said.

The Conservatives’ own election expenses in the election battle in South Thanet are under the spotlight after claims that it had not properly recorded its own expenses associated with battle buses and accommodation for activists brought into campaign for candidate Craig Mackinlay.