Nicola Sturgeon: Ed Miliband has made mistake ruling out SNP deal

12:17 PM

SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon has hit out at Ed Miliband‘s “cack-handed” pledge that there will be no Labour government if it means working with her party.

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - APRIL 29: SNP leader and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon delivers a speech marking the start of the final week of campaigning in the run-up to the general election on April 29, 2015 in Glasgow, Scotland. Recent polls suggest that people north and south of the border are liking what Nicola Sturgeon is saying regarding how a strong team of SNP MPs, standing up for Scotland, can contribute to delivering more progressive policies for the benefit of people across the UK. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Polling evidence suggests Mr Miliband’s announcement on Thursday has boosted support for the SNP, Ms Sturgeon said in an article for the Sunday papers.

Her opponents say this is all the more reason to hand their parties a majority, with Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy warning that the SNP is “plotting another referendum” in the Sunday Mail.

Ms Sturgeon said: “Ed Miliband has been so spooked by anti-SNP rhetoric that he has allowed himself to be bullied by the Tories – hence his disastrous pronouncement that he would rather let them back in than work with us to keep them locked out of Downing Street.

“It was a cack-handed move, because in Scotland it simply galvanises even more support for the SNP – and there is already polling evidence suggesting that is the case.”