Nicola Sturgeon calls for ‘progressive alliance’ with Jeremy Corbyn to stop Brexit and ‘lock the Tories out of government’
- Nicola Sturgeon has floated a ‘progressive alliance’ with Labour to stop Brexit
- SNP leader said Jeremy Corbyn would have to take firm ‘anti-Brexit stance’
- Overture comes amid mounting speculation about a snap election in months
Nicola Sturgeon today called for a ‘progressive alliance’ with Jeremy Corbyn to stop Brexit.
The Scottish First Minister said she would do a deal with Labour to ‘lock the Tories out of government’.
But she warned that Mr Corbyn would have to take a ‘very firm anti-Brexit position’ in order for the parties to work together.
She also did not rule out demanding a fresh independence referendum as the price of SNP support.
The overture to Labour came amid mounting speculation about a snap general election.
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon (pictured at Bute House last week) said she would do a deal with Labour to ‘lock the Tories out of government’
Ms Sturgeon warned that Mr Corbyn (pictured visiting Whaley Bridge this week) would have to take a ‘very firm anti-Brexit position’ in order for the parties to work together
Many believe a national vote is inevitable within months as Boris Johnson’s majority dwindles and he faces huge opposition to his ‘do or die’ pledge to secure Brexit by October 31.
Polls have suggested a snap election could result in a hung Parliament, especially if Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party splits the Eurosceptic vote with the Tories.
That could leave the SNP – which currently has 35 MPs – holding the balance of power on who becomes the next PM.
In an interview with the Guardian, Ms Sturgeon reiterated her position that she would not go into a formal coalition with Labour.
‘It would not be my intention, to go into a formal coalition,’ she said. ‘I said that in 2015 and 2017 – that’s not a new thing.
‘But some kind of progressive alliance that could lock the Tories out of government … it wouldn’t be a blank-cheque type scenario.
‘We would want Jeremy Corbyn to take a very firm anti-Brexit position. We would look to do what was right for Scotland.’
Mr Corbyn has so far refused to come out full-heartedly against Brexit.
He has rejected No Deal, and insisted that there should be a second referendum on any agreement negotiated by the Tory government. Mr Corbyn said his party would campaign to Remain in that vote.
However, the veteran left-winger – a long-standing Eurosceptic – has desperately avoided saying whether he would try to take the UK out of the EU if Labour gets into power.
Mr Sturgeon met Boris Johnson for the first time as PM in Edinburgh last week (pictured) as she steps up her demands for a fresh independence referendum