Nicola Sturgeon (pictured) said SNP is open to an arrangement with Labour and suggested Labour's backbenchers would support some SNP policies . Ed Miliband will be 'held hostage' in Downing Street by the SNP, it was claimed today as Nicola Sturgeon said there was no way Labour could win without her. A dramatic collapse in support for Labour in Scotland is expected to rob Mr Miliband of an overall majority, forcing him to rely on the SNP to form a government. Ms Sturgeon teased the Labour leader today, claiming he is still 'clinging to the pretence' that he has a chance of winning a majority on May 7, insisting she will wield 'clout' in Westminster. Ms Sturgeon said her party was open to an arrangement with Labour after the election. The Scottish First Minister hinted that many of Labour's MPs would support certain SNP policies such as bringing an end to austerity and scrapping Trident. After weeks of pressure, Mr Miliband has ruled out a formal coalition with the SNP but he could be forced to do a deal to stop them voting down his government. Ms Sturgeon told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'He is still clinging to the pretence he has got some chance of winning an overall majority. 'We have got vast experience as a minority Government ... the principles are the same. You have to build alliances, you have to win votes on a case-by-case basis. 'It would be far better than what usually happens to Scotland at Westminster, which is we are ignored or sidelined. 'The bottom line here is, if Scotland wants to have that influence, that power, that clout in Westminster, the only way get it is to vote SNP. 'If there is real SNP strength in the House of Commons we can force progressive change.' She also repeated the threat from former First Minister Alex Salmond to lock the Tories out of government, even if David Cameron wins the most seats. Brushing aside claims it was arrogant, Ms Sturgeon replied: 'If the Tories can't command a majority, then they don't deserve to be in government.' Labour leader Ed Miliband used the launch of his election campaign at the Olympic Park in east London today to claim: 'There is one way to get the Tories out and that's to elect a Labour government' Senior Conservative William Hague condemned the remarks as proof that Mr Miliband would be propeped up by a party which wanted to break up the Union. He said: 'Now you have it straight from Nicola Sturgeon – it is the SNP's sworn intention to hold Ed Miliband hostage in Downing Street and dictate terms on how Britain is governed. 'And we know too what's in the ransom note: £148 billion more wasteful borrowing, higher taxes on ordinary families, weaker defences and more debt than our children could ever hope to repay. Labour campaign chief Douglas Alexander (pictured) said Ms sturgeon has an 'anyone but Labour' strategy and is committed to independence . 'We cannot let this happen to our country. The only way to keep Ed Miliband and the SNP out of Downing Street is to vote Conservative on 7 May.' Mr Miliband sought to play down the prospect of an SNP deal, tell activists at his election campaign launch: 'There is one way to get the Tories out and that's to elect a Labour government.' Labour campaign chief Douglas Alexander told BBC News channel: 'The agenda of the Scottish National Party is very obvious - they want to drive down the vote of Labour in Scotland and they want to drive up the Tory vote. 'Why? Because (Ms Sturgeon) remains committed to independence. She judges the most propitious circumstances to be of a Tory government here in Westminster after the election in May, and after that to try to secure support in the 2016 election in Scotland for a second referendum.' Later Ms Sturgeon told BBC News: 'In that post-election scenario, if the SNP wins the trust of people in Scotland and is there in numbers, then we've said very clearly there are no circumstances in which we would support a Conservative government. 'We would be open to a working arrangement with Labour - not a formal coalition, I've always said that's highly unlikely. 'That could be an arrangement that's akin to confidence and supply. 'If we were to have an arrangement on that basis, we've been very clear we would want an alternative to austerity - modest spending increases that still see debt and deficit reduce as a share of income, but nevertheless allow us to invest in things like innovation and infrastructure and protecting the vulnerable.' She said that a fresh independence referendum would not be the price for a post-election deal: 'Voting SNP in the general election doesn't lead to another independence referendum. 'If there is to be another independence referendum - and I hope that one day there will be - that will only happen if people elect a Scottish Government in a Scottish Parliament election that has that in the manifesto and has the ability in the Scottish Parliament to pass that legislation.'
Sturgeon said Miliband is 'clinging to the pretence' of winning a majority .
Scottish First Minister said her party is open to arrangement with Labour .
She suggested Labour's backbenchers would support several SNP policies .
Douglas Alexander accused Ms Sturgeon of 'trying to end the Labour Party'
Nicola Sturgeon (pictured) said SNP is open to an arrangement with Labour and suggested Labour's backbenchers would support some SNP policies . Ed Miliband will be 'held hostage' in Downing Street by the SNP, it was claimed today as Nicola Sturgeon said there was no way Labour could win without her. A dramatic collapse in support for Labour in Scotland is expected to rob Mr Miliband of an overall majority, forcing him to rely on the SNP to form a government. Ms Sturgeon teased the Labour leader today, claiming he is still 'clinging to the pretence' that he has a chance of winning a majority on May 7, insisting she will wield 'clout' in Westminster. Ms Sturgeon said her party was open to an arrangement with Labour after the election. The Scottish First Minister hinted that many of Labour's MPs would support certain SNP policies such as bringing an end to austerity and scrapping Trident. After weeks of pressure, Mr Miliband has ruled out a formal coalition with the SNP but he could be forced to do a deal to stop them voting down his government. Ms Sturgeon told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'He is still clinging to the pretence he has got some chance of winning an overall majority. 'We have got vast experience as a minority Government ... the principles are the same. You have to build alliances, you have to win votes on a case-by-case basis. 'It would be far better than what usually happens to Scotland at Westminster, which is we are ignored or sidelined. 'The bottom line here is, if Scotland wants to have that influence, that power, that clout in Westminster, the only way get it is to vote SNP. 'If there is real SNP strength in the House of Commons we can force progressive change.' She also repeated the threat from former First Minister Alex Salmond to lock the Tories out of government, even if David Cameron wins the most seats. Brushing aside claims it was arrogant, Ms Sturgeon replied: 'If the Tories can't command a majority, then they don't deserve to be in government.' Labour leader Ed Miliband used the launch of his election campaign at the Olympic Park in east London today to claim: 'There is one way to get the Tories out and that's to elect a Labour government' Senior Conservative William Hague condemned the remarks as proof that Mr Miliband would be propeped up by a party which wanted to break up the Union. He said: 'Now you have it straight from Nicola Sturgeon – it is the SNP's sworn intention to hold Ed Miliband hostage in Downing Street and dictate terms on how Britain is governed. 'And we know too what's in the ransom note: £148 billion more wasteful borrowing, higher taxes on ordinary families, weaker defences and more debt than our children could ever hope to repay. Labour campaign chief Douglas Alexander (pictured) said Ms sturgeon has an 'anyone but Labour' strategy and is committed to independence . 'We cannot let this happen to our country. The only way to keep Ed Miliband and the SNP out of Downing Street is to vote Conservative on 7 May.' Mr Miliband sought to play down the prospect of an SNP deal, tell activists at his election campaign launch: 'There is one way to get the Tories out and that's to elect a Labour government.' Labour campaign chief Douglas Alexander told BBC News channel: 'The agenda of the Scottish National Party is very obvious - they want to drive down the vote of Labour in Scotland and they want to drive up the Tory vote. 'Why? Because (Ms Sturgeon) remains committed to independence. She judges the most propitious circumstances to be of a Tory government here in Westminster after the election in May, and after that to try to secure support in the 2016 election in Scotland for a second referendum.' Later Ms Sturgeon told BBC News: 'In that post-election scenario, if the SNP wins the trust of people in Scotland and is there in numbers, then we've said very clearly there are no circumstances in which we would support a Conservative government. 'We would be open to a working arrangement with Labour - not a formal coalition, I've always said that's highly unlikely. 'That could be an arrangement that's akin to confidence and supply. 'If we were to have an arrangement on that basis, we've been very clear we would want an alternative to austerity - modest spending increases that still see debt and deficit reduce as a share of income, but nevertheless allow us to invest in things like innovation and infrastructure and protecting the vulnerable.' She said that a fresh independence referendum would not be the price for a post-election deal: 'Voting SNP in the general election doesn't lead to another independence referendum. 'If there is to be another independence referendum - and I hope that one day there will be - that will only happen if people elect a Scottish Government in a Scottish Parliament election that has that in the manifesto and has the ability in the Scottish Parliament to pass that legislation.'
arrangement with Labour and suggested Labour's backbenchers would support some SNP policies . Ed of winning a majority on May 7, insisting she said her party was open to an arrangement with Labour after the election. The Scottish First programme: 'He is still clinging to the pretence campaign chief Douglas Alexander (pictured) said