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Scottish National Party (SNP) leader Nicola Sturgeon has advised English voters to back the Green Party – or their local Labour candidate if they are “progressive” and prepared to challenge the party leadership.

The Scottish First Minister has also advised people in Wales to vote Plaid Cymru.

The SNP hopes to secure enough votes in Scotland to build a post-election alliance with a minority Labour UK government to evict the Conservatives from Downing Street.

But her advice could harm Labour’s election prospects as it would lose its 26 seats in Wales while the Conservatives would lose eight.

The SNP is also expected to make a massive dent in Labour’s 40-strong representation in Scotland, according to the polls.

Speaking after a lecture to the London School of Economics, she said: “If you live in Wales, I’d advise you to vote for Plaid Cymru.

“If you live in England, I think there is an argument for voting Green.

“I think there is, depending on if you think your Labour candidate is progressive and is prepared to challenge, then, perhaps.

“It’s not for me to tell people in England how to vote.”

She added: “I’m a progressive politician.

“I think in Scotland that means voting SNP without a shadow of a doubt.

“I want to see as many progressive voices in the House of Commons after the election, and that is SNP, Green, Plaid Cymru.

“I would like to see more progressive Labour voices challenging the Labour leadership, so that there is that scope for that progressive alliance that I spend a bit of time in London talking about.

“So that’s my advice, take it or leave it, but if you live in Scotland definitely vote SNP.”