David Cameron may rule out forming coalition after general election

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/feb/25/david-cameron-coalition-general-election

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David Cameron is embarking on the first steps of a campaign to fireproof himself against a backbench revolt after a poor result in the European elections in May by letting it be known that he is minded to rule out forming a coalition after the general election.

Amid fears that diehard backbench opponents of the prime minister will use a Ukip victory in the European elections to overthrow him, senior Tory sources have said the party may pledge in its manifesto to govern alone even in a hung parliament.

A hardcore group of Cameron opponents on the Tory benches have been planning to use a Ukip victory in May, which would see the Conservatives trailing in third place behind Labour, to say the prime minister is a liability because he would rather govern in a coalition. Peter Kellner, the founder of the YouGov polling organisation, wrote on Monday that Ukip is set to win the European elections in the UK on 22 May.

Downing Street is moving to neutralise the expected line of attack by saying that Cameron is considering whether to include in the Tory manifesto for the 2015 general election a pledge to rule out a coalition. A friend of the prime minister told the Daily Telegraph columnist Benedict Brogan: "He's very clear: he doesn't want another coalition."

The plans show the depth of concern in Downing Street about the potential threat to the prime minister after a poor performance in May. The move would also be designed to close down speculation during the general election campaign about his true intentions.

The new thinking marks a change of tactics by the Tories. Senior Tories said last summer that a coalition would be inevitable in the event of a hung parliament – or even if the Conservatives win a small majority – to avoid the prospect of hardline opponents of the prime minister calling the shots at Westminster.

Cameron was said to live in fear of experiencing a repeat of John Major's treatment at the hands of Eurosceptics after the 1992 election when he secured a majority of just 21. "We can't have Nadine Dorries running the show," one senior Tory said, in reference to the outspoken backbencher who described Cameron and George Osborne as two posh boys who don't know the price of milk.

Downing Street did nothing to distance itself from the Daily Telegraph disclosure. A No 10 source said: "The prime minister has made clear he is going all out for a Conservative majority."