LABOUR South Thanet candidate Will Scobie predicted yesterday that Ukip’s party will be over if he keeps Nigel Farage out of Parliament. 

Mr Scobie is stepping up his campaign with a “Rally for the Future” in Ramsgate today as he seeks to make decent jobs and low pay — rather than immigration — the decisive election issues.

He told the Star: “Farage has said he will no longer be Ukip leader if he doesn’t win here.

“That raises the stakes incredibly and makes our fight more important than ever. I honestly think if we keep this momentum going, we can beat Farage, slam the door in the face of Ukip and show that this country doesn’t want division.” 

Mr Scobie’s hopes were boosted yesterday when a leading political pollster said Labour was now a close second in South Thanet. 

Mike Smithson wrote: “I understand from those close to Ukip that the well-funded and well-organised Farage campaign is becoming a tad concerned about the personable Will Scobie, the former mayor of Margate and local councillor who is standing for Labour.” 

In a further fillip, the Labour candidate will be joined by TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady and GMB leader Paul Kenny at today’s rally. 

Mr Scobie is focusing his campaign on “the issues people are talking about, like housing, low pay, jobs and hospital waiting times.”

Almost 30 per cent of people in South Thanet don’t earn the living wage, according to TUC figures. 

Ms O’Grady said: “Rather than blaming migrant workers, we need politicians to get tough on the long hours, lousy pay and insecurity faced by ordinary working people in South Thanet and across Britain.”