Sturgeon TV debate vow on second indyref

The First Minister sought to emphasise the legitimacy of a possible re-run when she said a decision would be in the hands of "the people of Scotland" during last night's live STV Scottish leaders' debate.

In the run-up to the referendum, she claimed it would be a "once in a generation event".

Her comments came in STV's Scottish leaders debate last night, which saw the first major clash between Ms Sturgeon and the Scottish Labour leader, since the MP became Scottish Labour leader.

Both sides claimed to come out on top in the debate, which also featured Scots Tory leader Ruth Davidson and the Lib Dems' Willie Rennie.

Ms Sturgeon insisted independence was not an issue in the General Election on May 7, telling the audience at Edinburgh's Assembly Rooms she respected the outcome of the referendum and adding: "This election is not a re-run of the referendum."

But challenged by an audience member about the prospect of a second vote after next year's Holyrood election, she said: "That's another matter.

"We'll write that manifesto when we get there. I'll fight one election at a time."

She added: "The people are in charge.If the people of Scotland vote for a party which is not making a commitment to another referendum there would not be another referendum.

"That's the point I'm making."

Ms Sturgeon has previously said a decision on whether to promise a second referendum would be taken later this year.

According to opinion polls, the party is on course to form a second majority government at Holyrood.

Her comments were booed by a section of the audience.

Earlier exchanges were dominated not by policies or pledges but argument over what might happen after the General Election.

Mr Murphy resisted calls from Ms Sturgeon to commit Labour to a power-sharing deal with the SNP, telling her: "Nicola, we don't need your help."

She said Scots would find it "utterly inexplicable" if David Cameron became Prime Minister in a situation where the SNP and Labour combined could out-vote the Conservatives.

The Scots Labour leader hit back: "When was the last time the biggest party did not form the government? It was 1924.

"Every seat Labour loses in Scotland increases the chance of David Cameron becoming Prime Minister."

The four leaders , plus Patrick Harvie of the Scottish Greens and Ukip's MEP for Scotland David Coburn, in BBC Scotland's televised debate from Aberdeen.

Last night's showdown came as BBC Scotland took the unprecedented step of calling on social media users to stop abusing its journalists.

The corporation offered a strongly-worded statement after reporters investigating the leaked civil service memo, which claimed Ms Sturgeon wanted the Conservatives to remain in power, were subjected to vicious online abuse by so-called cybernats.

Earlier in the day, David Cameron said the leak was "not acceptable" as he began a whistle-stop campaign tour of the four UK nations in Edinburgh.

The First Minister has categorically denied the claims in the memo.

Before the debate, Ms Sturgeon set out measures the SNP would support at Westminster to reduce child poverty in a speech in Livingston.

Mr Murphy highlighted Labour's plan to hand young people not at university £1600 from a "Futures Fund" during a campaign event in Glasgow city centre.

Labour, facing a crushing defeat to the SNP according to the polls, took some comfort from a poll showing strong support for a number of the party's key election pledges.

The Ipsos MORI survey, for BBC Scotland, found raising the minimum wage, increasing state pensions and freezing energy bills were the public's top three economic priorities.

Labour has pledged to raise the minimum wage to £8 by 2020, below the SNP's call for an £8.70 per hour guarantee.

Ed Miliband's party has also promised to freeze energy bills for 20 months.

Other Labour policies, including its proposed mansion tax and raising the top rate of income tax to 50p - a measure recently backed by the SNP - also scored highly.

Ipsos MORI questioned more than 1000 adults between March 19 and 25 about a series of policy statements without reference to any political parties.

In general, voters believed targeted public spending increases were more important than paying off the deficit by 2020.

However, support for capping welfare was the same as for increased public spending.

Labour candidate for Edinburgh South Ian Murray said: "This poll echoes what Scottish Labour activists up and down the country are hearing on the doorsteps."

SNP Westminster leader Angus Robertson said: "This was another excellent performance by Nicola Sturgeon, who won the debate by setting out the powerful case for a strong team of SNP MPs at Westminster to stand up for Scotland and help deliver progressive politics across the UK.

"The big story that emerged from the debate is that Jim Murphy indicated Labour would prefer to see David Cameron walk back into Downing Street heading a minority Tory government, rather than work with the SNP to keep the Tories out. Jim Murphy point blank refused to say that he would work with the SNP to keep the Tories out.

"That is an extraordinary position to take, which will cause them even more problems on the doorsteps across Scotland - Labour would never be forgiven if they let the Tories back in."

The Moray MP added: "Nicola was the only leader pledging to end the cuts the other Westminster parties remain committed to and invest in jobs, growth and skills instead - which underlines that the only way people in Scotland can end austerity is to vote SNP."

Scottish Labour deputy leader Kezia Dugdale said: "The choice facing Scotland on May 7th was made crystal clear - we can vote for a Labour government with a plan to make the economy work for working people, or a Tory government which will continue the failed polices of austerity.

"Jim won tonight because, in a confident performance, he was the only one making an argument for change, the only one with clear policies and the only one honest enough to say how we would pay for them.

"Tonight Nicola Sturgeon was heckled for her broken promises and could not give Scotland a straight answer about a future referendum, why should Scotland trust her on anything else?

"The Tories and Liberals offered nothing more than continued austerity. After tonight it is clear that only Labour offers the change people want.

"Another Tory government would be a disaster for Scottish families. A decade of David Cameron is the last thing Scotland needs, and Jim made clear tonight that a vote for Scottish Labour is a vote for a better plan for a fairer Scotland."

Scotland Office minister David Mundell said: "Ruth Davidson won the debate tonight because she was the one who had the guts to stand up to the SNP and put forward a positive alternative plan for Scotland.

"She showed that the SNP isn't Scotland and she spoke up for the many thousands of Scots who want us to build on last year's referendum result, and keep our UK together.

"Her plan for doing that is simple: it's by securing the recovery we're beginning to see in the economy and by fighting tooth and nail to secure Scotland's place in the UK - just as people voted last year.

"She also called on the absurdity of the SNP's election pitch with the line of the night: 'Nicola Sturgeon's pitch seems to be Labour is rubbish. Vote for me, and I'll put them in.'

"Watching Labour and the SNP argue with each other was like seeing a couple go through a pre-marital spat.

"For all Jim Murphy tried to attack the SNP, the fact is that he is being fatally undermined by his leader."

"We all now know that if Ed Miliband thinks it'll get him into Downing Street, he will be straight on the phone to Nicola Sturgeon after the election to sort out how he does a deal with the SNP.

"Jim Murphy will be left holding the wedding bouquet.