Would-be Labour MP Will Scobie has taken to Twitter to appeal to former party leader Tony Blair and former spin doctor Alastair Campbell to help fund his campaign.

The Thanet South candidate has posted tweets in which he urges both to donate £1,000 each to his campaign fighting fund.

In one to Tony Blair, he writes: “Here in Thanet South, we want to go beyond empty gestures and beat Nigel Farage. £1,000 could make a big difference to us.”

Mr Blair recently announced he was giving Labour candidates £1,000 each in target seats - including two in the county, Chatham and Aylesford and Dover and Deal.

Mr Scobie posted to Alastair Campbell: “Hi Alastair, Will Scobie from Thanet South here; keen to beat Nigel Farage and could definitely use £1,000 to do it.”

A Ukip spokesman said it revealed that Labour did not consider Thanet South - where Nigel Farage is standing - as a seat they could win.

A spokesman for the party said:“This is another sign that Labour is no longer the voice of working people."

Hitting back, Mr Scobie claimed that he had received plenty of support and was the only ‘authentic local voice’.

He said: “Our campaign received £8,000 in Labour Party funding in the last round of donations and we have a battle bus and three offices.

“We are the only party in a position to provide a meaningful alternative to Ukip in South Thanet and our campaign goes from strength to strength.

“I am the only candidate who comes from the area and Labour is the only party providing an authentic local voice.”

Last week Mr Blair wrote to candidates in 106 target seats offering each £1,000.

He said: “I know how hard it can be to raise money to fund a local campaign, but for you, in one of our 106 battleground seats, it is even more vital.

This is where the election will be won for Labour and that is why I am making a donation to all 106 campaigns.”

A small number of candidates have said they will not take the money.