The Conservative candidate aiming to become the next MP for South Thanet says he could support staying in the EU under a renegotiated agreement - and that immigration reform would not necessarily be a red line issue.

The comments were made in an interview Craig Mackinlay gave to The KM Group’s political editor Paul Francis.

Mr Mackinlay’s credentials as a Euro-sceptic was a key factor in his selection as the candidate to take on Ukip leader Nigel Farage after the current MP Laura Sandys decided to step down. He was a member of Ukip before joining the Conservative party.

He also said that the impact of immigration was over-hyped and the government’s proposals to tighten up on benefits that immigrants can claim would limit the number of new arrivals coming to the UK.

Mr Mackinlay said that if there was a referendum tomorrow he would vote to leave the EU but that he could support a renegotiated deal.

“It all depends on what the renegotiation comes up with.If we had a vote today, clearly I would be voting to get out. I think there is a renegotiation I could support but we will have to wait and see.”

Asked what his “red lines” would be under a new deal, he said: “There would have to be a few concessions. I don’t think that when we joined the EEC that we would be thinking of single armies, single police forces, single currencies and a single justice system. My views are that we deliver what the British people want to see.”

On immigration, he acknowledged that the government’s failure to meet its target “did not look good” but that the adverse impact was over-hyped.

“Those figures do not look good. But I think we have to look at where we started from when Labour had a total open door immigration policy. We are going to have a very tough benefit system. If there is no work, I would presume they would go home and that will take a lot of froth off the numbers.”

His remarks were seized on by Nigel Farage who said: “I am shocked and surprised that the Conservative candidate doesn’t think mass immigration is an issue. It is the number one issue for many people around the constituency. Despite what he might try and say on the matter, it is clear he believes in Mr Cameron’s line that Britain should stay in the EU."

For the full interview see this week’s Thanet Extra