A FULL scale battle to claim legitimacy for a minority government has broken out, sparking fears of a constitutional crisis in the aftermath of tomorrow's knife edge election.

 

The Conservatives, Labour and the SNP clashed bitterly over what arrangements would be acceptable to the public in the event of a hung parliament.

Prime Minister David Cameron warned there would be a "massive credibility problem" if Labour emerged as the second biggest party but sought to govern with support from the SNP.

He insisted he would "always put the country first," fuelling speculation he would cling to power if the Tories won the biggest number of seats but could not command a Commons majority.

In that scenario, he would wait until the last moment for a proposed Queen's Speech to fail before harnessing public opinion to undermine an Ed Miliband administration that relied on SNP votes to get its programme through the Commons.

Jim Murphy, the Scottish Labour leader, insisted a minority Labour administration would be valid, as he rejected Nicola Sturgeon's claim that no future government would be legitimate unless the SNP's expected bloc of MPs was able to wield influence.

The latest projection from ElectionForecast showed the Conservatives winning 281 seats ahead of Labour on 267, a result which would leave both parties a long way from achieving an effective Commons majority of 323.

The SNP was forecast to take 51 seats, the Lib Dems 26 and Ulster's DUP eight.

Under the Fixed Term Parliaments Act, the incumbent premier has first crack at forming a government; if he or she cannot, then the Leader of the Opposition has 14 days to try to form a coalition or deal with other parties to get a Queen's Speech through Westminster.

If this fails, then there is another election.

Asked about Mr Miliband forming a government even if Labour came second but could form a Commons majority with the help of Nicola Sturgeon's party, the Conservative leader told LBC radio: "There's a massive credibility problem with this idea that you can have a Labour government, backed by the SNP, only fighting for part of the country.

"I mean, the concerns of voters that I'm hearing about that, are very, very strong."

Ms Sturgeon repeated her claim that a government relying solely on the votes of English MPs would lack legitimacy.

She said: "My point is that a legitimate government is one that can command a majority in the House of Commons.

"But a government that relies on support from parties from across the UK for its majority, I'm arguing, would surely be a more legitimate and more representative government."

Labour, which believes it could rely on SNP support to form a government without making concessions to the Nationalists, dismissed her comments.

Mr Murphy said: "The divide isn't about nation. For us it is not based on nation. We don't have a border. We don't have these divides."

Accusing the Tories and SNP of stoking English and Scottish nationalism respectively, he added: "We'll stand and watch as these these two versions of nationalism argue and fight with each other."

Sources have suggested Labour has already hired lawyers to try to ensure that the constitution is abided by and the Tory leader does not seek to cling onto power or, in some way, try to force a second election.

In a speech to supporters, Mr Murphy said Mr Cameron has made a "statement of intent" and would "stop at nothing to stay in Downing Street".

The Prime Minister issued his warning as he set off on a final 48-hour dash that will see him travel to the West Country, Lancashire, the Scottish borders and with a final rally in Cumbria.

Nick Clegg, who has begun his 1000-mile campaign trek from Land's End to John O'Groats, will campaign in Cumbria and Scotland today.

Mr Miliband will concentrate on northern England with campaigning in Lancashire and a final rally in Yorkshire.

Ms Sturgeon is due to end her week-long helicopter tour of Scotland in Edinburgh, where she will tell supporters: "Scotland has the opportunity to have more power and influence at Westminster than ever before".

The battle to claim legitimacy for the next government follows weeks in which neither Labour nor the Tories have managed to make a decisive breakthrough in the polls.

Last night pollster Survation put support for the Conservatives on 34 per cent, a point ahead of Labour on 33 per cent, both unchanged from its previous survey.

Earlier on the campaign trail, the PM, in a garden centre in Twickenham, south-west London, was heckled by an apparent SNP supporter.

During a speech to cheering activists, a lone voice was heard shouting: "I'm feeling racism from you guys in your party."

BBC footage showed the heckler being removed from the garden centre. He could be heard saying: "Come on SNP. Is there going to be an Ajockalypse? I'm from Scotland; the racism I'm getting because of these people and Boris. It's not fair. Come on SNP."

His remarks followed London Mayor Boris Johnson branding a Labour government supported by the SNP as "Ajockalypse Now".