SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon has accused Ed Miliband of being “a man in denial” over his claims that he would never go into coalition with the nationalist party. Sturgeon made the comment to Sky News after Miliband said he would rather not be Prime Minister than do a deal with the SNP.
Appearing on the BBC’s Leaders’ Question Time debate last night Miliband said: “We are not going to do a deal with the Scottish National Party. If it meant we would not be in government, then so be it.”
Sturgeon responded by saying: “He sounds as if he might be saying he would rather let David Cameron back into Downing Street than do any kind of arrangement with the SNP. If he is saying that, then Labour have lost the plot.”
She continued that he was “increasingly sounding as if he is a man in denial” because of his insistence that he can win the election. However, Miliband is pressing on with a tour of Scotland to beg left-wing voters in the country to stick with Labour.
In recent weeks the SNP have surged to 54 percent in the polls in Scotland, making it possible they could win every single seat in the country. Most of the seats would be taken from Labour, making it all but impossible for Miliband to take the keys to Number 10 without some sort of a deal.
Mr Miliband’s determination to rule out an SNP deal was in sharp contrast with both the former Home Secretary David Blunkett and Shadow Health Secretary Andy Burnham. The two Labour grandees suggested a deal could take place, because of the importance of keeping the Conservatives out of power.
Conservative Party chairman Grant Shapps told the Daily Mail: “A former Labour Home Secretary admits what all the polls show – it is impossible for Ed Miliband to get the keys to No 10 without being propped up by Nicola Sturgeon and Alex Salmond.”
Polls are now suggesting that David Cameron is starting to pull ahead, however most of them are still within the margin of error. He is also still a long way from the numbers the Conservatives would need to win outright.