article_snippet: A Tory-Labour grand coalition could be needed after the election to stop the Labour Party holding the balance of power and provoking a constitutional crisis, a former Conservative Home Secretary has said.
article_snippet: Lord Baker of Dorking said a deal between the two largest parties could be necessary to ensure the 'continuing unity' of the UK.
article_snippet: a former Conservative Home Secretary said such an agreement could avoid the 'nightmare' of a minority Labour administration depending on SNP support to govern - something which could 'stretch the constitution of our country to breaking point'.
article_snippet: Writing in The Independent, the former Cabinet minister accepted that a deal between David Cameron and Mr Miliband was 'quite unthinkable' at the moment, but pointed out it worked in Germany.
article_snippet: Lord Baker of Dorking argued: 'What is at risk is the continuing unity of the United Kingdom.
article_snippet: In order to preserve the continuing unity of the United Kingdom another way should be found. '
article_snippet: This could be a joint government of the Labour and Conservative parties: quite unthinkable at the moment, and at this time likely to be rejected by both of them - but this is what has happened in Germany.'
article_snippet: Lord Baker of Dorking said it would be possible for the two largest parties to find areas of agreement - defence, counter-terrorism, infrastructure investment in schools, road, rail and in the reform of skills training and energy - while more controversial manifesto promises would have to wait until 2018.
article_snippet: Lord Baker of Dorking's intervention follows a warning from former prime minister Sir John Major that the SNP would enter any deal with Labour with the 'overriding aim' of 'prising apart' the union. '
article_snippet: That every country apart from Mongolia had the union. '
article_snippet: And now he is doing everything he can to stop the union. '