Cameron and Clegg considered audacious electoral pact in 2015

Deal would have seen Tories withdraw candidates in Lib Dem seats and vice versa, new book reveals

The decision by the Lib Dems to form a coalition government with the Conservatives in 2010 torpedoed the party's electoral support for years. Yet senior figures from both parties have now confirmed that they seriously considered the option of backing an audacious second coalition deal and putting it to voters at the 2015 election.

Lib Dem and Tory leaders discussed the idea of turning the 2015 vote into the next coupon election" - a reference to the 1918 general election when a Liberal coalition headed by prime minister David Lloyd George endorsed pro-government Liberal and Tory MPs.