NICOLA Sturgeon has made clear that she and not Alex Salmond will be in charge of any post-election SNP negotiations with Labour leader Ed Miliband in London.
The First Minister, in the UK capital for the second time in 72 hours, declined to rule out a formal coalition with Labour should the electoral arithmetic result in it as the largest party at Westminster and the SNP holding the balance of power but she stressed her preferred option would be a so-called confidence and supply arrangement to "make for a much better Labour government".
Speaking to journalists at Westminster, Ms Sturgeon was asked who would lead any alliance negotiations, her or Mr Salmond, who is seeking to become an MP again. The SNP leader declared: "I'm the party leader. Me. With Stewart(Hosie) by my side, I hasten to add."
She failed to make clear whether or not her predecessor would even be part of the Nationalists' negotiating team. "If Alec is elected, as I would be fairly confident in predicting he will be, then he will be a key part of the team in Westminster and, of course, will have a part to play. But I'm the party leader and Stewart is the deputy leader and we will lead the position."
Angus Robertson, the party leader at Westminster, was not mentioned. Mr Hosie said he was "standing in" for his colleague at the press conference. Party sources have made clear that Mr Robertson will remain party leader at the House of Commons if re-elected.
Ms Sturgeon asked, given the binary choice before voters between David Cameron or Ed Miliband as Prime Minister, who she would prefer, the FM declined to answer directly, saying: "I want Scotland's voice to be heard."
She again insisted SNP MPs would not support another Tory government but explained: "A Labour government dependent on SNP support would make for a much better Labour government. Polls have suggested that's the most popular outcome among people in Scotland."
Asked if Mr Miliband was the kind of man she could do business with after the May 7 result, Ms Sturgeon, noting how the SNP were "streets ahead" in the polls, replied: "I take absolutely nothing for granted; there is not an ounce of complacency about the SNP campaign. But, assuming the SNP does well in the General Election, we will be down there looking to get the best deal and situation for Scotland.
"I don't know Ed Miliband particularly well as a person but that is neither here nor there, it will be absolutely my objective that Scotland's interests are protected and promoted as strongly as possible."
She added: "I would hope there would be a willingness to reflect the outcome of the election if the SNP do perform well...I'm not that instinctively enthusiastic about the idea of formal coalitions, I would much prefer an issue by issue, case by case arrangement and the driving objective and force behind that would be to make sure we get the best deal for Scotland that it is possible to get."
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