Labour On SNP 'Life Support System' - Clegg

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg has ruled out joining a government propped up "on a life support system" by the SNP.

Mr Clegg also said a coalition with a party that had the second largest number of seats after 7 May would lack "legitimacy".

Labour has repeatedly ruled out forming a formal coalition with the Scottish nationalists, whose leader Nicola Sturgeon has indicated she would be willing to work in an "anti-Tory majority".

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Mr Clegg told the Financial Times: "I totally rule out any arrangements with the SNP - in the same way I rule out any arrangements with UKIP - because there is no meeting point for me with one party that basically wants to pull our country to bits and another party that wants us to pull out of the EU.

"I would never recommend to the Liberal Democrats that we help establish a government which is basically on a life support system, where Alex Salmond could pull the plug any time he wants. No, no, no."

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Meanwhile, in a campaign speech David Cameron compared voting for the Lib Dems to Forrest Gump.

"You don't know what you are going to get," the Prime Minister said, reciting the famous line from the Tom Hanks film that life is like a box of chocolates.

SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon told Sky News: "These Westminster leaders seem to have forgotten what democracy means.

"During the referendum they were at pains to point out Scotland's voice mattered.

"Now it turn out our voice only matters to them if we vote how they want us to vote."

"If they vote SNP Scotland's voice will be louder and we will be able to have influence in the House of Commons not just to protect Scotland's interests but to argue for more progressive politics for everybody across the UK."

Elsewhere, UKIP leader Nigel Farage has revealed that he has seen doctors and been prescribed strong sleeping pills and muscle relaxants to deal with a flare-up of pain from an old spinal injury during the early weeks of the election campaign.

However, he said he was now feeling "back to the old me".

Mr Farage told the Daily Telegraph: "I was not unwell, I have not had heart palpitations, but I was getting increasingly terrible pain in my shoulder, my back, and so I was suffering from neuralgic pain.

"I am taking a few tablets but it is something I have got to live with and I have got to pace myself. I think I am going to have medical treatment for the rest of my life."

A YouGov poll for The Sun found Labour maintaining a two-point lead on 35% to the Conservatives' 33%, with Ukip on 13%, Liberal Democrats on 8% and Greens on 6%.