Conservative chairman rules out ‘pacts and deals’ with UKIP
Grant Shapps, the Chairman of the Conservative Party, has ruled out entering a ‘pact’ with UKIP after the General Election.
The Tory chairman, who is responsible for the party’s election campaign, told reporters on Friday that he was not interested in working with Nigel Farage’s party.
He said: “I can rule out – We are not going to do pacts and deals with UKIP.”
He also warned that a hung parliament could result in a “large degree of chaos”, saying: “With the Conservatives, you may like it or not but you know what you are getting.”
The move comes after months in which senior Conservative figures had refused to rule out a potential coalition with any parties, including UKIP.
However, Farage’s party maintained in a statement that it would be willing to enter into a ‘confidence in supply’ arrangement.
A statement said: “UKIP are not promising pacts with anyone.
“For, us politics is about getting something done, not about stitching up deals to get jobs for the boys. We think about you – not us.
“For that reason we will drive for a confidence and supply agreement to ensure the big issues that matter to the public are on the table and that voters have a powerful voice.
“It looks increasingly likely that we will have a hung parliament after May, so now is the time for voters to back the party that really represents them and will make sure that their concerns are addressed and not brushed under the carpet for another 5 years by a cosy cartel of establishment parties.”
