Labour will not do a deal with the SNP to get into power at Westminster, the party’s Scottish leader Richard Leonard insisted.
Launching his campaign yesterday, Leonard ruled out any pact after the election on December 12 - and dared the to vote against a Jeremy Corbyn programme for government.
It follows suggestions Nicola Sturgeon would be happy to prop up a Labour minority government on a case by case basis.
Leonard said: “There will be no deals with the SNP.
“There is no pact with the SNP, there will be no deals with the SNP, there will be no coalition with the SNP.
“We’re standing in this election to form a majority Labour government.”
The MSP also warned the SNP could be punished by voters if they choose to vote down their Queen’s Speech setting out legislative plans to MPs.
“If we are a minority Labour government, we would draft a Queen’s Speech and it would then be up to the SNP whether they voted for that progressive, transformative Queen’s Speech or not,” he said.
“If they did not vote for it, they would have to answer to the people of Scotland.”
Leonard set out his position to journalists after a campaign launch speech to a well-attended audience at Maryhill.
Labour candidates and activists appeared enthusiastic about the party’s chances in a city full of knife-edge local battles.
Leonard promoted UK Labour policies including nationalised rail, restoration of free TV licences for older people, getting rid of Universal Credit and tackling “food bank Britain”.
He attacked the “idle rich” in the bitter row over Asda workers’ rights.
And he said: “In this election we are offering hope out of despair. And let me be clear that it is only a Jeremy Corbyn Government that will rescue our communities and our people from the hard years of austerity.
“It is only a Jeremy Corbyn Government that will reverse this rising inequality. Only a Labour Government will make sure that the wealth in the economy is shared far more equally.
“This general election is about the direction of political travel in this country. It is a battle for votes and seats but it is also about what kind of society we are and what kind of society we want to be.”
Leonard insisted the election is not a “proxy vote” on the constitution.
But he sidestepped a question on a potential second independence referendum, only claiming he’d stop the SNP getting a majority at the 2021 Holyrood election.
Ahead of the speech, Leonard announced a major housing policy - but he admitted it depends entirely on the SNP Government at Holyrood following his lead.
Labour want to invest £70 billion in public services in Scotland and build 120,000 new council homes.
Housing is devolved to Holyrood, meaning it would be up to the current SNP administration to decide whether to spend money on the Labour target.
The campaign launch began with a speech by social justice campaigner Sean Bailey who told the audience he supported independence in 2014 - and might do it again.
He said: "I campaigned for a Yes vote. I’m not ashamed of that. But I stand here today campaigning for the Labour party, for a Labour government for the very same principles, the very same ideas.”
