That Cameron won’t mind an alliance with UKIP tells us everything about the coming election

Just as Britons were facing up to the horrendous prospect of going back to work this weekend, David Cameron did the most extraordinary thing. In an interview with Andrew Marr on Sunday he twice refused to rule out a coalition with UKIP after the coming election.

Those with memories longer than that of a goldfish will remember it was only a few years ago that Cameron called UKIP a bunch of “fruitcakes, loonies and closet racists”. So what has changed since? The Prime Minister didn’t tell us.

He didn’t have to. Though Cameron projects himself as the leader who sticks to what he believes in, his record shows the exact opposite.

It’s also ironic because Cameron’s maneuver reinforces what UKIP supporters already think: that he will say whatever is necessary to get elected, which is why they hate him so much.

But briefly, put aside the policies and the noise of election claims in the media. This incident tells us more about David Cameron than he would like to think.

10 years ago Cameron was elected leader of the Conservatives on a mission to ‘modernise’ the party. Of course it was necessary: no political party can survive for long unless it continually renews itself and keeps in touch with changing public opinion.

Extraordinarily, Cameron didn’t just ditch the modernisation project – that happened earlier with the GO HOME vans – he is aligning himself with people many traditional Tories would balk at, especially those in the business community. He is taking the Conservatives backwards. If I was a card-carrying Tory member I would be furious.

Take women voters for example. Cameron repeatedly talked of childcare and the NHS, and pledged to promote more female candidates. By 2010 he won 36% of their vote, finally closing the gap that Labour had maintained for decades. But that support started to ebb away by 2011 as women were disproportionately affected by spending cuts. Labour’s lead in the polls has almost entirely been down to women voters.

Now imagine Cameron trying to win them back when Labour can simply raise the prospect of a Tory-UKIP alliance. Or imagine the Tories trying to woo the growing generation of ethnic minority voters if they think he will jump in bed with Nigel Farage at the first opportunity. At the last election only 16% of non-white voters went for Cameron, primarily because it was traditionally associated with hardline anti-immigration and racist sentiments. They would only be further repelled by this alliance.

That Cameron is now willing to entertain an alliance with Nigel Farage isn’t just a sign the Tories are going backwards, it illustrates that Cameron will say anything to get re-elected. He is a man devoid of any principles or a project other than to get re-elected as Prime Minister.

Of course, I should be pleased in one sense. If a proposed alliance with Nigel Farage makes it harder for Cameron to reach some voters and get re-elected then we all win. But it still leaves open the possibility that, somehow… somehow, Cameron could get re-elected and appoint Farage to his cabinet. And that worries me far more. And it should tell you everything you need to know about the coming election.