The man chosen to be UKIP's prospective parliamentary candidate for South Thanet says he believes Conservative Craig Mackinlay would have to stand aside if prosecutors bring any charges over his election expenses in 2015.

The Reverend Stuart Piper said that if the CPS did decide to bring charges over the allegations made against the party, Craig Mackinlay would have to drop out of the race.

He told the Thanet Extra:

“I think he would have to stand aside if that happens.”

The expenses issue would “play into the election” he added.

“In the minds of most people, I do not think they would be happy to send an MP to Westminster who had this issue hanging over them.”

He said voters were fed up with the established mainstream parties and rejected the suggestion that people no longer understood what UKIP was for.

“We do have a voice for people who are fed up with the political establishment. I think there are a lot of voters in South Thanet who do feel they have had a bad deal. I will be telling them they can have a fresh start and vote for themselves.”

Of his own prospects in June, he said: “The bookmakers had UKIP at 8-1 to win here but I think they are really better than that and I think that we will see people going out [on polling day] to register their feelings about the government.”

His selection follows the decision by Nigel Farage not to stand for a re-run in the constituency, when he was defeated for the seventh time in his attempts to gain a seat in Parliament.

Mr Piper is the chairman of Thanet council and represents Northwood Park ward. He was elected in 2015 when Ukip took control of what is the only council in the country that it runs.

Thanet council leader Chris Wells had been an early favourite but lost out to Mr Piper at a hustings meeting.

Rev Piper could face a tough battle despite the Conservative Craig Mackinlay having a relatively small majority.

He will have to confront those who have accused Ukip of failing in its key election promise to reopen Manston Airport. However, he is a keen supporter of Manston.

Kent Police has sent a file to the Crown Prosecution Service concerning allegations about the Conservative party’s election expenditure in the campaign for South Thanet in 2015.

Prosecutors will have until the end of May to decide whether to bring any charges over the claims that expenditure by the party was not properly reported under election regulations.

The party has denied it acted unlawfully.

In an interview for KMTV’s Paul on Politics show, Mr Mackinlay shrugged off the suggestion that the inquiry would overshadow the Conservative campaign.

“I have done nothing wrong and acted honestly and properly throughout the campaign so no, I'm not concerned at all.”

Meanwhile, in the neighbouring North Thanet seat, UKIP has chosen Clive Egan as its prospective candidate to contest the seat held by Sir Roger Gale.