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General Election 2015: Nicola Sturgeon vows to turn her TV success into more MPs General Election 2015: Nicola Sturgeon vows to turn her TV success into more MPs
(about 5 hours later)
Nicola Sturgeon moved to the heart of the general election campaign as the Conservatives warned that she could put Ed Miliband into power but Labour figures claimed the Tories could no longer portray her as a threat to English voters. Nicola Sturgeon has moved to the heart of the general election campaign, with Labour and the Tories drawn into a new argument over what impact the Scottish National Party leader will have on the election result.
Political foes admitted today that the Scottish National Party leader was the biggest winner in the only TV election debate between the seven party leaders, which was watched by 7.4m viewers on Thursday. While the Conservatives warned Ms Sturgeon could put Ed Miliband into power and Labour figures attempted to counter that she could no longer be portrayed as a threat to English voters, political foes admitted yesterday that she was the biggest winner in Thursday’s television debate.
Ms Sturgeon was hailed in Scotland for her assured performance and is suddenly  a big player on the national stage. She even had to fend off media questions about whether the SNP would now field candidates in England.  "I think it is a reflection of how out of touch the whole Westminster system has become,” she said.  "Going into a post-election scenario, what I need to do is make sure there is as many SNP MPs in there challenging and pushing the Westminster parties to give as much power to Scotland as possible." Ms Sturgeon was hailed in Scotland for her assured performance, watched by 7.4 million viewers, and is suddenly a big player on the national stage. She even had to fend off questions about whether the SNP would now field candidates in England, and on its front page today – at least south of the border – the Daily Mail brands her the “most dangerous woman in Britain”.
Alex Salmond, her predecessor, said Ms Sturgeon had “wiped the floor with the old boys' network” and “hammered” David Cameron. She said after the debate: “I think it is a reflection of how out of touch the whole Westminster system has become. Going into a post-election scenario, what I need to do is make sure there are as many SNP MPs in there challenging and pushing the Westminster parties to give as much power to Scotland as possible.”
In a setback for Mr Miliband, some Labour candidates and former MPs praised Ms Sturgeon. The Labour leader may be eclipsed if the SNP leader does well in the next TV debate between five leaders on April 16 –without Mr Cameron and Nick Clegg. Alex Salmond, her predecessor, said Ms Sturgeon had “wiped the floor with the old boys’ network” and “hammered” David Cameron.
Labour figures claimed the Tories’ attempt to portray the SNP as “the bogeyman” had been scuppered by Ms Sturgeon’s conciliatory approach and offer of “friendship” to the rest of the UK. In a setback for Mr Miliband, some Labour candidates and former MPs praised Ms Sturgeon. The Labour leader may be eclipsed if the SNP leader does well in the next TV debate between five “challenger” leaders on 16 April.
Caroline Flint, the shadow Energy Secretary, accused the Tories of talking up the SNP. “They would love Nicola Sturgeon to do well because that puts David Cameron back in No 10," she said. “If Scots don't want David Cameron, then they should think very carefully about voting for the SNP.” Labour figures claimed the Tories’ attempt to portray the SNP as “the bogeyman” had been scuppered by Ms Sturgeon’s conciliatory approach.Caroline Flint, the shadow Energy Secretary, accused the Tories of talking up the SNP. “They would love Nicola Sturgeon to do well because that puts David Cameron back in No 10,” she said. “If Scots don’t want David Cameron, they should think very carefully about voting for the SNP.”
The Conservatives believe Ms Sturgeon’s showing will harm  Labour’s chances of holding its 41 Scottish seats, and talked up the prospect of her pushing a minority Labour government to the left. A Labour source said: “The Tories are trying to hide behind the SNP because they can’t defend their record. The SNP is the Tories’ last hope of clinging on to Downing Street. It is an unholy alliance.” The Conservatives believe Ms Sturgeon’s showing will harm  Labour’s chances of holding its 41 Scottish seats, and talked up the prospect of her pushing a minority Labour government to the left.
But the Tories are jubilant that the SNP is in the spotlight.  They believe Ms Sturgeon’s showing will harm  Labour’s chances of holding its 41 Scottish seats, and talked up the prospect of her pushing a minority Labour government to the left. Michael Gove, the Tory Chief Whip, warned that a Labour government propped up by the SNP and other smaller parties would be a "lethal cocktail". A Labour source said: “The Tories are trying to hide behind the SNP because they can’t defend their record. The SNP is the Tories’ last hope of clinging on to Downing Street. It is an unholy alliance.”
Michael Fallon, the Defence Secretary, told  BBC Radio 4's World At One: “She certainly outshone the other challengers last night, let's hand that to her. But she did rather give the game away, in that she didn't just say she would prop up a Miliband government, she actually said she would 'keep him honest', but which she meant she would keep him left-wing, she would keep him on a path of departing from our fiscal plan. That is extremely dangerous.” But the Tories are jubilant that the SNP is in the spotlight. They believe Ms Sturgeon’s showing will harm Labour’s chances of holding its 41 Scottish seats. Michael Gove, the Tory Chief Whip, warned that a Labour government propped up by the SNP and other smaller parties would be a “lethal cocktail”.
Norman Lamb, the Liberal Democrat Health Minister, said the SNP surge “posed a real threat” to the UK’s survival and to the stability of government in a hung parliament.  Diane Abbott, the  Labour candidate in Hackney North and Stoke Newington, said: “Politics aside, good to see Nicola Sturgeon takes Nigel Farage to task on immigration.” Michael Fallon, the Defence Secretary, told BBC Radio 4’s World at One: “She certainly outshone the other challengers… But she did rather give the game away, in that she didn’t just say she would prop up a Miliband government. She actually said she would ‘keep him honest’, by which she meant she would keep him left wing; she would keep him on a path of departing from our fiscal plan. That is extremely dangerous.”
Austin Mitchell, who is standing down in Great Grimsby, tweeted after the debate: “Women won. Sturgeon best.”  Rowenna Davis, Labour candidate in Southampton Itchen, said: “Sturgeon was good tonight. Interestingly she was also the only leader to talk about her background.” The Daily Telegraph said last night it had seen a leaked Government memo detailing a conversation between Ms Sturgeon and the French ambassador, in which the SNP leader apparently expressed a preference for a Tory win in May and a desire to avoid a formal coalition with Labour.
Labour pointed out that Mr Miliband got higher ratings than Ms Sturgeon in three of the four polls taken after the debate. Ms Sturgeon strongly denied the paper’s claims, calling them “categorically, 100 per cent untrue”.
Norman Lamb, the Liberal Democrat Health Minister, said the SNP surge “posed a real threat” to the UK’s survival and to the stability of government in a hung parliament.  “I can’t see how a party determined to break up the United Kingdom can ultimately act in the whole interest of the UK,” he said. “The temptation will always be too great to want to score advantage in their ultimate objective of leaving the UK.” Meanwhile, a Daily Mirror/Survation poll found that Mr Miliband’s net approval rating had increased by eight points since the first TV “debate” on 26 March.
Mr Lamb was optimistic that support for the Lib Dems, currently languishing at eight per cent in the polls, would pick up as May 7 approaches. He said:  “Because of the [broadcasters’] political balance requirement, we have the chance to have our say heard over this period and for it to have more volume than it tends to get in normal circumstances. I think there is a moderate majority in this country.”
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