Conservatives and UKIP could strike deals in future He told The Times: "If either they, or others like them, even Labour MPs with their local associations, chose to propose running on a joint ticket then I would leave the local UKIP association to have those negotiations." He added: "After all we are a party that believes in real localism and doesn't think that the centre is the repository of all wisdom." His comments follow those of George Osborne, the Chancellor, last week who insisted he didn't think his party should do deals. Owen Paterson, the Environment Secretary, said they shouldn't rule out doing pacts in the future as they should do everything they could to maximise their share of the vote. The Bow Group, a think tank, recently called for an electoral pact with Nigel Farage's party to stop members abandoning the Tories because they disagree with David Cameron's policies on gay marriage and the European Union.