A Conservative Party official has been found guilty of falsifying expenses during the 2015 election campaign to stop Nigel Farage becoming an MP.

Marion Little, 63, who was described by a judge as a “friend to prime ministers”, authorised spending above legal limits in the South Thanet constituency. The MP for the seat, Craig Mackinlay, was cleared of breaking election law at the same trial.

“I await a statement from the Electoral Commission, the CPS and Kent police as to how they justify millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money in pursuing me in a political show trial,” he said.

Mr Justice Edis said yesterday that Little, of Ware, Hertfordshire, had been “carried away by her conviction” that defeating Mr Farage was an “overwhelmingly important political