Keir Starmer has ruled out doing any deals with the SNP at the next general election.
The Labour leader said there was “absolutely no basis” for any type of pact with a party that wants to “break up the United Kingdom”.
Some Conservatives have warned of a “coalition of chaos” between Labour and the SNP if no party wins an overall majority.
But speaking at a press conference today, Starmer tried to nullify that attack by say he was not interested in any kind of tie-up with the Scottish nationalists.
Asked about the potential of a deal with the SNP, he said: “There will be no deal going into a general election or no deal coming out of a general election.
“And that’s not just about a numbers game as far as I’m concerned — I want to be prime minister for the whole of the United Kingdom. I want a Labour government for the whole of the United Kingdom.”
He added: “I want to grow the economy. There’s no basis for an alliance with a party that thinks the answer to grow the economy is to put a border between England and Scotland.
“So it’s not just a numbers game. It’s an in-principle position — there is no basis for an alliance under a Keir Starmer government between Labour and the SNP. Full stop.”
Starmer did however appear to keep the door open to a deal with the Liberal Democrats, saying only when asked that he wanted a “Labour majority”.
The Labour leader was speaking at a press conference shortly after it had been confirmed that neither he nor his deputy, Angela Rayner, had been issued with a police fine for attending a campaigning event in Durham last year under lockdown.
Starmer said it had been a “very good week” for Labour and reiterated his calls for a general election despite the chaos that has ensued following Boris Johnson’s resignation as Tory leader.
Labour has threatened to call a no confidence vote if Johnson does not leave his post immediately, which could lead to a general election.
“We’ve been stuck in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis with a government that can’t deliver, with a prime minister who is not fit to be prime minister,” Starmer said.
“If there’s a general election, this government will fall and we’ve got a plan for the country.”
He also echoed the calls of many Tory MPs that Johnson should resign as PM immediately rather than continue in the role until a new Tory leader is elected.
Starmer said he understood why Theresa May stayed on after quitting as Tory leader in the fallout over Brexit but that Johnson had been “brought down on the issue of trust and integrity”.
“I understand why Theresa May stayed on. This prime minister is desperately clinging on; he should go, he should go straight away in my view.”