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Sturgeon Vows To Act In Interest Of All UK

Nicola Sturgeon has launched the SNP's election manifesto pledging an end to austerity and offering "a hand of friendship" to people across the UK.

Reaching out beyond its traditional heartland for the first time, Ms Sturgeon outlined plans to create a "progressive" alliance at Westminster, with the promise to increase public spending not just in Scotland but the whole of Britain.

Opinion polls indicate the SNP could win as many as 56 of Scotland's 59 seats at the election, which could see the nationalists hold the balance of power in the event of another hung parliament.

Speaking to an enthusiastic crowd, Ms Sturgeon pledged to stand up for Scotland's interests, but also said the views of people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland mattered to her.

She said: "So my promise to you is this: If the SNP emerges from this election in a position of influence we will exercise that influence responsibly and constructively.

"And we will always seek to exercise it in the interests of people, not just in Scotland, but across the whole of the UK of the Westminster system, we have a shared interest with you in making that system work better for all of us, in making it work for the many not the few."

Ms Sturgeon said the SNP would use its experience in government at Holyrood "to advance progressive policies that will benefit people in all parts of the UK".

"So to everyone, who like me wants this election to herald the real and positive change that will make life better for ordinary people across these islands, I hold out a hand of friendship," she said.

She said the manifesto could bring "benefits to the whole of the UK".

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Backing the restoration of the 50p top rate of tax and the introduction of a mansion tax, Ms Sturgeon said the SNP would oppose the renewal of Trident adding: "We will vote for the £100bn that would be saved to be invested instead in education, better childcare and the National Health Service".

Accusing the Tories and Labour of "selling the NHS short", she said her party would back an increase in health spending across the UK by £24bn by the end of the decade - £9.5bn above inflation.

The SNP would also push for a UK-wide housebuilding target of at least 100,000 new affordable homes each year, while committing to increasing the minimum wage to £8.70 by 2020 and scrapping the bedroom tax.

To cheers, Ms Sturgeon told the audience: "The SNP will always support independence."

But she added: "This election is not about independence, it is about making Scotland stronger."

The prospect of the nationalists holding sway at Westminster has been seized on by David Cameron, who said a post-election deal between Labour and the SNP after polling day on 7 May would be a "match made in hell" for the UK economy.

Speaking during a campaign visit in the North West, the Prime Minister warned investment south of the border would be threatened by a tie-up between the two parties.

He also set out plans for regular reviews to ensure England, Wales and Northern Ireland do not "lose out" due to decisions taken in Scotland, with the handover of more powers to Holyrood.

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In a direct appeal to voters, Mr Cameron said: "Labour and the SNP - the party that would bankrupt our country and the party that would break up our country, government in deadlock, our economy heading for ruin. Is that what you want?

"A vote for anyone other than the Conservatives will deliver it."

And in a bid to rally Labour support north of the border, Ed Miliband has travelled to Scotland where he will promise to "end Tory austerity" and warn a vote for the SNP could see the Tories returned to power.

Speaking ahead of his speech to trade unionists, Mr Miliband, who has ruled out a formal coalition with the SNP, said: "Nicola Sturgeon is asking people to gamble on getting rid of a Tory government - the only way to guarantee getting rid of a Tory government is to vote Labour."

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Meanwhile, Nick Clegg has urged voters to back the Liberal Democrats to keep both the SNP and UKIP out of government, arguing only his party could offer balance.

The Deputy Prime Minister said: "Everyone else is rushing off to one extreme or the other.

"The question is not is Ed Miliband or David Cameron, are one of those two going into Number 10, it's who is going to go in there alongside them.

"I personally think it is much better to have the Liberal Democrats around the cabinet table than Alex Salmond or Nigel Farage."