Sturgeon pitches post-election deal to Miliband in TV election debate

Ed Miliband was on Thursday night forced to fend off the offer of a post-election deal with Nicola Sturgeon's Scottish National party at the end of a televised debate in which the Labour leader attempted to present himself as a prime minister in waiting.

In a 90-minute "challengers" debate - ducked by David Cameron - Mr Miliband tried to turn the format to his advantage, presenting himself as the only viable prime minister among the five party leaders on the stage.

A post-debate poll by Survation found that 35 per cent thought Mr Miliband has won the debate, followed by 31 per cent for Ms Sturgeon and 27 per cent for Ukip's Nigel Farage.

Mr Miliband adopted the mantle of fiscal responsibility and vowed to pursue the fight against the so-called Islamic State, but his attempt to rise above the political fray ran into trouble in the final minutes of the prime-time BBC encounter.

Ms Sturgeon, the SNP leader, drew Mr Miliband into a debate which Labour wants to avoid: the terms on which he might turn to Scottish nationalist support in the event of a hung parliament.

Concluding another strong performance, Ms Sturgeon accused Mr Miliband of being "Tory Lite" and said the SNP would work with the Labour leader to "lock David Cameron out of Downing St" and make a Labour government "bolder".

Mr Miliband said Scottish independence would be "a disaster for working people" and repeated his refusal to countenance a formal coalition with the nationalists, saying: "The answer is No." However he has left open the possibility of a less formal arrangement with the SNP.

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However Mr Cameron's absence from the debate had until that point appeared a strategic error, as all five opposition leaders took the chance to attack the Conservative record in government without reply.

Mr Farage condemned the government's record on immigration and took the unusual step of attacking the studio audience for being too leftwing.

Meanwhile Leanne Wood, Plaid Cymru leader, and Natalie Bennett of the Greens joined Ms Sturgeon in a self-proclaimed "progressive alliance" in condemning further cuts by either Conservatives or Labour.

Mr Miliband attempted to reinforce his recent emphasis on fiscal discipline by telling the BBC1 audience: "We have to live within our means." And he closed with a challenge to Mr Cameron: "If you think this election is about leadership then debate me one on one."

Mr Cameron's absence from the Central Hall debate at Westminster - described as "a disgrace" by Nicola Sturgeon - came as the result of a format agreed between broadcasters and Number 10 after months of haggling.

The prime minister agreed to take part in only one debate with his rivals - a seven-way event earlier this month - claiming that such events "suck the life" out the normal election campaign.

As a result neither Mr Cameron nor Nick Clegg, deputy prime minister, were invited to attend last night's debate.

The last of the quartet of televised events will be a special Question Time on BBC1 on April 30, one week from the election - featuring Mr Cameron, Mr Miliband and Mr Clegg each taking questions separately from an audience.

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