Tory campaign chief calls for electoral pact with Ukip

The Conservative party has slapped down a call by a senior Tory campaign chief for an electoral pact with Ukip to avoid splitting the rightwing vote at the next general election.

Michael Fabricant, a Conservative party vice-chairman, suggested the Tories could commit to a straight in/out referendum on UK membership of the EU or guarantee such a poll if Ukip promised not to stand against Tory candidates in 2015.

He argued such a deal could give the Tories 20 to 40 additional marginal seats, concluding: "These steps have to be taken to stop the continued haemorrhage of Conservative votes."

Underlining the need for a pact, Fabricant told the BBC that if Ukip wanted a referendum promise "signed in blood", he would be willing to provide the blood.

In a separate interview, Fabricant told Sky News: "There is not going to be any discussion for a good 24 months yet with Ukip, but I do think there needs to be a discussion in the Conservative party."

Asked what the prime minister made of his intervention on the topic, the MP replied: "I hope that he will simply consider it and look at that as part of a number of different strategies that he will be considering."

He added: "I'm seeing him tonight, so maybe he will tell me."

But Fabricant did not have to wait as long as this evening to find out how his suggestion has gone down with Tory central office. The Conservative party issued a statement, saying: "Michael Fabricant does a great job campaigning in by-elections but he doesn't speak for the party on this issue.

"The safest way to protect Britain's interest in Europe is to vote Conservative. That's why we'll have Conservative candidates in every seat at the next election."

Earlier, the Ukip leader, Nigel Farage, also rebutted the prospect of a pact, tweeting that there would be "no deals with the Tories: it's war".

Farage said over the weekend that his party would abandon its pledge not to stand against Eurosceptic Tory MPs after Cameron refused to retract comments describing Ukip members as "fruitcakes, loonies and closet racists, mostly".

Asked at Monday's lobby briefing whether Cameron believed Ukip was a party of closet racists, the prime minister's spokesman said: "I think political colleagues have been making clear he stands by the comments he made in 2006."

Farage later told BBC2's Daily Politics that Cameron was "the major obstacle" to any deal between Ukip and the Conservatives, indicating that he would be more open to talking to the Tories if somebody "pragmatic, grown-up and sensible" was leader – naming the education secretary, Michael Gove, as such a candidate.

Farage said he had not had any private discussions with Gove but that he was the sort of leader with whom his party might think "we could sit round a table and have a proper discussion".

"Open-minded, doesn't throw abuse around and thinks issues through – he would be the right kind of person," said Farage.

Also on the programme, Fabricant seized on a comment by Farage that Ukip would want any referendum promise "signed in blood".

"If we feel in 24 months' time that we want a deal with Ukip – and it may not be necessary or advantageous – I will donate the blood."

Asked if he felt Farage could be offered a seat in cabinet as part of any deal, Fabricant said the Ukip leader had "a lot of talent" but that the decision would be one for David Cameron and George Osborne.

He insisted Cameron's 2006 comment about there being some "closet racists" among Ukip members did not need "retraction". "The truth is some Ukip members are," he said. "I'm going to be very controversial and say some Conservative members might well be and Labour members and Liberal Democrats too."

Fabricant makes the case for a pact with Ukip in a 17-page discussion paper that notes a "direct correlation between the European question and the increase in Ukip support" and suggests it is now "time to actively consider whether a rapprochement might be possible".

Cameron has given his backing to a referendum on the EU but has ruled out a straight in/out question, despite growing pressure from hardline Tory backbenchers.

The influential Eurosceptic backbencher Mark Pritchard stepped up referendum calls over the weekend, saying legislation for a vote should be introduced before the end of the parliament.

But Cameron received unexpected support from the Tory London mayor, Boris Johnson, who, during a trade mission to India, spoke out against holding a referendum on whether the UK should remain part of the European Union as it currently exists.