Alex Salmond last night ramped up the pressure on Labour leader Ed Miliband claiming he won’t be able to avoid doing a deal with the SNP.
The former SNP leader, who is bidding to return to Westminster, said all parties would have to face up to the “electorate’s judgment” after polling day on May 7.
He said Mr Miliband had been “foolish” to rule out a coalition with the SNP even though it was not really on the cards and suggested that he reacted because he was “under pressure from the Conservative press”.
If the election resulted in a hung parliament, Mr Salmond predicted the “most likely” outcome was an agreement by the SNP to support Labour on a vote-by-vote basis.
“I think after the election every Westminster politician will have to come and face the reality of the electorate’s judgment,” he said.
“There is no disrespect or disgrace in any politician coming to terms with the democratically expressed position of the electorate.
“All politicians will try to do their best as they see it in the interests of the people who elected them.”
His comments came after SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon warned Mr Miliband in Thursday night’s TV debate that he would not be forgiven if he allowed David Cameron back into Downing Street because he was unwilling to do a deal with the SNP.
Labour has been at pains to insist it will not need SNP votes to govern rejecting Conservative claims that Mr Miliband would be a prisoner of the nationalists if he entered No 10.
Mr Salmond also made clear that SNP MPs at Westminster would be prepared to vote on England-only issues if they impact on Scotland.
“The vast majority of votes have an economic impact,” he said. “When I was an MP before, I voted against foundation hospitals in England because I thought it would lead to the fragmentation of the health service and then have effects in Scotland. I voted against tuition fees for English students in England.
“It is not English-only legislation, if it has an economic impact it has an impact on Scotland.”
He indicated that the SNP could use their votes to try to change the Budget of the next government.
“I don’t think there is a single MP or a single political party who wouldn’t wish to be in a position and have an effect and influence for the betterment of their own constituents and, indeed, the betterment of politics across these islands,” he said.
Earlier, Conservative Chief Whip Michael Gove insisted the Tories would not do a deal with Ukip.
He said: “No, no, no. There won’t be. Firstly, I don’t think there will be many Ukip MPs if any after the election.”
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