A Tory MP has sparked a row after reportedly claiming unemployed young people should be prepared to "get on their bikes" and take a job on a farm working alongside "gorgeous EU women".

Craig Mackinlay, the MP for South Thanet, told a fringe meeting at the Conservative conference in Manchester that British youngsters needed to show the same motivation as low-skilled workers from elsewhere in Europe, according to the Business Insider website.

"I was struggling to think why wouldn't a youngster from Glasgow without a job come down to the south to work for a farm for the summer with loads of gorgeous EU women working there?" he was quoted as saying.

"What's not to like? Get on your bike and find a job."

He reportedly added: "We need to mobilise our core of unemployed to say there is a job there for me, let's go and get it just as the very well-motivated Bucharest youngster gets a coach across Europe to find a job."

Tory candidate Craig Mackinlay, 50, who has been charged with offences under the Representation of the People Act 1983 after an investigation into 2015 general election campaign expenses, the Crown Prosecution Service said

Mr Mackinlay told the Press Association that his "flippant" remarks had been misquoted and that he had been making the point that people in the UK should be more willing to move to find work.

However his reported comments were condemned by Liberal Democrat MP Christine Jardine.

"These remarks are as misogynistic as they are ignorant. It seems the spirit of Norman Tebbit is still running the Conservative Party," she said.

"Rather than making dismissive and offensive remarks, the Conservatives should be investing in training to get more British young people into work.

"Maybe Mr Mackinlay should follow his own advice and start picking fruit rather than picking fights."

Mr Mackinlay beat the then Ukip leader Nigel Farage to take South Thanet in the 2015 general election. He faces trial next year on charges relating to his election expenses.