Ukip leader Nigel Farage looking for EU deal ‘written in blood’

UK Independence Party (Ukip) leader Nigel Farage has said he is ready to do an electoral deal with the Conservatives in return for a promise “written in blood” of an in-out referendum on the European Union (EU).

Mr Farage denied reports that he is offering the Tories a deal under which Ukip would give Conservative candidates a clear run at the 2015 election in return for a referendum pledge, and promised members that he would not “sell short” the party.

But in his keynote speech to the Ukip annual conference in Birmingham, he said it would be “silly” of Ukip not to consider any offers made by the Conservatives – or even Labour.

He predicted that Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg would be appointed a European Commissioner ahead of the election, leaving the Tories facing 
a possible coalition between 
Labour and the Liberal Democrats under a more left-wing leader like Vince Cable or Tim Farron, and in need of allies.

Mr Farage told Ukip delegates: “If an opportunity came which meant that we could get this country closer to walking through a door marked ‘UK independence’, if we had an opportunity to do something that was in our national interest, it would be silly not at least to consider it. But all this talk of a deal with the Conservatives hasn’t come from me.”