A UKIP candidate has insisted he is not misleading voters by declaring he is “living” in a guest house.

Phillip Broughton, who is UKIP's election candidate for Hartlepool, has declared his home address on his candidate form as 159-161 Stockton Road, Hartlepool.

The address is actually that of Brafferton Guest House, which is located less than a mile from Hartlepool town centre.

Tony Hill, Labour’s candidate in Hartlepool, said Mr Broughton was “misleading” and “disrespecting” voters and claimed it was an “insult” to the electorate.

But Mr Broughton said he has an address in Stockton and the reasoning behind staying in the guest house was because of the “short notice of the General Election”.

Speaking to The Northern Echo about the issue, he confirmed he recently rented a room in the guest house.

“I have an address in Stockton, but this is all I can afford in Hartlepool at the moment,” he said.

Hartlepool’s other two candidates, Carl Jackson for the Conservatives and Andy Hagon for the Liberal Democrats have both declared home addresses outside of the constituency.

The electoral commission confirmed a candidate’s address does not need to be in the constituency in which he or she intends to stand.

Mr Jackson, who lives in Buckinghamshire, said candidates should reveal their home addresses as it is “the most honest thing to do”.

The Northern Echo tried to contact Mr Hogan, who has declared he lives in the York Outer constituency, but did not receive a response in time for publication.

A spokesperson for Brafferton Guest House refused confirm or deny whether Mr Broughton was staying in the guest house.