Salmond Reveals Plans To 'Lock Out' Tories

Alex Salmond has said that the Scottish National Party will attempt to "lock" David Cameron out of Downing Street if the Conservatives try to form a minority Government after the General Election.

Scotland's former First Minister, who hopes to be an MP himself, said his party would vote as a block against Tory policy in a bid to trigger a vote of no confidence.

Critics accused him of trying to sabotage the will of the British public - should the Conservatives be the largest party on 8 May.

The comments come as Mr Cameron and Labour leader Ed Miliband clashed for the final Prime Minister's Questions of this Parliament.

The intervention is significant because the two biggest parties are now neck-and-neck in the polls, meaning neither is on track for a majority.

In that situation, they would be heavily reliant on other parties to get votes through Parliament. But the SNP - whose own surge in the polls could leave them with 50 MPs compared with just six now - have long been hostile to the Conservative party.

"The Tories would have to go straight effectively for a vote of confidence, usually the Queen's Speech, although it could be otherwise, and we’d be voting against it," Mr Salmond told the New Statesman magazine.

"So if Labour joins us in that pledge, then that's Cameron locked out."

That would then trigger a vote of no confidence and give Labour two weeks to try to form a Government.

Mr Salmond's interview took place over a fish and chip lunch, at which he ordered a bottle of pink champagne to celebrate the publication of his new book about the referendum campaign: The Dream Shall Never Die.

During the interview, Mr Salmond also revealed that Nelson Mandela was the historical figure with whom he most identified.

The Conservatives hit back at the SNP figure last night, with deputy chair Bob Neill describing it as a "sinister threat".

Labour may not find it helpful either.

Its leader in Scotland, Jim Murphy, who is giving a speech later today, has warned that votes for the SNP can only serve to weaken Labour's position overall, making them less likely to win the election.