Sturgeon to seek '˜progressive alliance' in event of hung parliament

THE SNP would 'look to be part of a progressive alliance' at Westminster if the General Election results in a hung parliament, Nicola Sturgeon said.

By The Newsroom Sunday, 28th May 2017, 8:24 pm Updated Sunday, 4th June 2017, 9:11 pm

Nicola Sturgeon was interviewed the BBC's Andrew Neil on Sunday. Picture: BBC

The Scottish First Minister and SNP leader said that she did not think Labour’s leader Jeremy Corbyn was “credible as an alternative prime minister”.

But she told The Andrew Neil Interviews, BBC One that “if there was to be a hung Parliament of course we would look to be part of a progressive alliance that pursued progressive policies”.

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Ms Sturgeon continued: “Let’s get back to the reality of this election. The reality of this election, even with the narrowing of the polls, is that we’re going to face a Tory government perhaps with a bigger majority, so my priority in this election is to say to the people of Scotland if you want Scotland’s interests to be protected and our voice heard you’ve got to vote SNP.”

The SNP won 56 of the 59 seats in Scotland in the 2015 general election, and in the run up to that ballot Tories across the UK sought to raise fears about the impact a possible coalition between Labour and the SNP could have.

Recent opinion polls across the UK have showed Theresa May’s lead over Labour shrinking.

An ORB poll for the Sunday Telegraph put support for Labour on 38% - six points behind the Conservatives and a result which would see Jeremy Corbyn outpoll both Ed Miliband and Gordon Brown.

Writing in the Sunday Herald newspaper, the First Minister hit out at the “cruelty” and “financial incompetence” of the Conservatives as she urged Scots to say “enough is enough” in the June 8 election.

Ms Sturgeon said: “Tomorrow there will be 10 days to polling day. Ten days in which it is vital that a light is shone firmly on the impact Tory policies will have on the country, on households and on jobs.

“Ten days in which we can really put a check on the Tories and put the values we seek to protect at the front of the campaign.