Tom Gordon

THE SNP are looking to forge an informal ‘rebel alliance’ with disaffected Tory MPs to inflict more defeats on David Cameron’s government.

After a series of climb downs in recent weeks, Nationalist sources say they hope to encourage more Tories to defy their own side after the summer recess.

With a majority of just 12, Cameron can be defeated in a Commons vote if just six of his own MPs revolt and all other parties are united against him.

The SNP say the tight arithmetic has greatly empowered would-be rebels, who now realise that defiance means results rather than gesture politics.

A senior SNP source said “soundings” had convinced the party that an early spate of U-turns had “emboldened Tory MPs” unhappy about a wide-range of issues.

The source said: “To defeat the government on individual issues we need to build a united opposition and attract rebels from the Tory benches - but we are confident we will be successful as we hold this uncaring government to account."

Since the election, the Tories have delayed axing the Human Rights Act, pushed back a referendum on EU exit, and delayed a vote on English Votes for English Laws (Evel).

And last week, SNP opposition to relaxing the fox-hunting ban south of the border forced the government to delay another vote because it compounded resistance from Tory MPs.

The source predicted there would be many more opportunities to defeat the government, starting with a September vote on scrapping the purdah rules before the EU referendum.

“We will do everything we can to help build a united opposition then.”

The SNP's 56 MPs also hope to stop Tory welfare plans to make women who have a third child as a result of rape prove their circumstances to officials to qualify for tax credits.

Despite relying on Tory rebels to improve legislation, the SNP takes a draconian view of dissent in its own Westminster ranks, threatening would-be rebels with disciplinary action.

Its internal rules forbid any MP from publicly criticising any SNP decision, policy or other MP.

Scottish Tory chief whip John Lamont said: “It's become ever more evident that the SNP aren't interested in standing up for the people who voted for them. They'd rather cause division and rile the rest of the UK, in the hope this stokes up resentment, making separation more likely. That is a shameless and deceitful game.”