SIR Keir Starmer has once again refused to rule out a deal with the Lib Dems but has insisted Labour will not work with the SNP. 

During an interview with LBC, the leader of the opposition was asked multiple times about working with Ed Davey’s party. 

Earlier this month, local elections in England saw Labour move to become the largest party in local government, overtaking the Conservatives for the first time since 2002.

They picked up more than 500 while the Tories exceeded even their most pessimistic expectations, losing more than 1,000 councillors.

However, analysis of the election results suggests that Labour may struggle to form an overall majority in the Commons. 

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Sir Keir told the radio station he was aiming for a majority, though he claimed the scale of the challenge was more substantial than anything faced by his predecessors. 

He said his bid to transform the party after their worst electoral vote since 1935 meant he was “doing Kinnock, Smith and Blair in one run.”

“I think we're on course from majority. I know that others say, oh, no, you're not.”

He said Labour needed to win between 130 and 140 seats at the next general election

“A lot of people are leaving out of account Scotland, we've only got one seat in Scotland. I genuinely think we can do better than that. 

“We've kicked on every year - I've had a lot of Noises Off what since I've been leader, a lot of advice - but every year I've just kept focused and each year we've improved, and I'm going to kick on again. 

“And I've already told the parliamentary party, the toughest bit is ahead of us. That's why we're going for a majority and not interested in coalition.” 

Asked if that meant he would not enter coalition, he said: “I want a majority. And that's what I'm absolutely going for.”

Asked if he would talk to Lib Dems about forming a coalition, Sir Keir said: “We're not in that position.”

“I've been very clear that I won't do a deal of any sort with the SNP for reasons that you will well understand, a fundamental difference,” he added.

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Asked if that meant no deal at all, Sir Keir was categorical: “No. Because of that fundamental difference. They think that the way forward is to have separation with a border within the United Kingdom. I fundamentally disagree. 

“I believe in the union. So there can be no basis for any agreement. 

“As far as Lib Dems are concerned, I want a majority Labour government.” 

Asked again, he said there were no talks. 

When asked once more, he replied: “Look, we'll wait and see. I'm going for majority government.”

Asked if that meant he was not closed to the idea, he replied: I'm not in the business of talking about deals or pacts.“

Last week, the SNP’s Westminster leader Stephen Flynn said that he believed Sir Keir will U-turn on his refusal to work with the party, adding that any deal would include demands to tackle the cost of living, roll back Brexit and deliver powers for an independence referendum.

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Sir Keir also defended Labour’s plans to allow EU nationals based in the UK to vote in a general election.

The Conservatives have suggested the plan to extend the franchise is a bid to undo Brexit.  

Tory chairman Greg Hands accused him of attempting to “rig the electorate to rejoin the EU”.

Sir Keir said: “If someone has been here say 10, 20, 30 years, contributing to this economy, part of our community, they ought to be able to vote.

"You go to doors sometimes in a general election and you’re met with someone who says ‘look, I’m an EU citizen, I’ve been living here 30 years, I’m married to a Brit, my kids were raised and brought up here, they’re now working in the UK… but I can’t vote’.

“I think that feels wrong and something ought to be done about it.”

He added that the fact settled migrants do not have full voting rights “actually just doesn’t pass the common sense test for me”.

Sir Keir’s suggestion that a European would need to have been in the UK for a decade before being able to vote is at odds with the promise made during his leadership campaign when he promised to extend the franchise to all EU citizens with settled status.

During the interview with the phone-in talk radio station, Sir Keir was asked if he would repeal the UK Government’s Public Order Act, the controversial new law used to arrest anti-monarchy protesters during last weekend’s coronation. 

He told LBC: “I said as the legislation was going through that I didn’t think we needed it because we had the existing powers.

“Now it’s on the books I think we need to let it settle in. With public order legislation you often need a bit of time and guidance.”

Sir Keir added: “The Government keeps passing legislation to try to solve the same problem without getting on with solving the problem in the first place.”