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| What would the SNP do for the rest of the UK if it they did a post-election deal with Labour? | What would the SNP do for the rest of the UK if it they did a post-election deal with Labour? |
| (5 months later) | |
| The SNP is riding high in the polls and could do a deal with Labour to help it form a government after the election. | The SNP is riding high in the polls and could do a deal with Labour to help it form a government after the election. |
| Their prominence in the general election campaign was given a boost by Nicola Sturgeon's performance in the TV debates. Since then, speculation has grown that the SNP could have a significant influence by making deals with Labour in order to help them pass legislation. | Their prominence in the general election campaign was given a boost by Nicola Sturgeon's performance in the TV debates. Since then, speculation has grown that the SNP could have a significant influence by making deals with Labour in order to help them pass legislation. |
| Indeed, Ms Sturgeon tweeted today that her email inbox is “overflowing” with requests for the SNP to stand candidates south of the Scottish border | Indeed, Ms Sturgeon tweeted today that her email inbox is “overflowing” with requests for the SNP to stand candidates south of the Scottish border |
| But what areas could Ms Sturgeon and the SNP influence - and how will the rest of the UK be affected by their sudden rise in British politics? | But what areas could Ms Sturgeon and the SNP influence - and how will the rest of the UK be affected by their sudden rise in British politics? |
| Stopping the Tories’ Universal Credit welfare reforms | Stopping the Tories’ Universal Credit welfare reforms |
| Labour says it supports the Government’s behind-schedule Universal Credit welfare reform in principle, but that it would “pause” the programme if elected because of implementation problems. | Labour says it supports the Government’s behind-schedule Universal Credit welfare reform in principle, but that it would “pause” the programme if elected because of implementation problems. |
| The SNP takes a harder line against the benefit reform and has called on the Government to completely end the project “sooner rather than later”. | The SNP takes a harder line against the benefit reform and has called on the Government to completely end the project “sooner rather than later”. |
| Without SNP support or Labour enthusiasm the project could end up on the scrap-heap during the next parliament. | Without SNP support or Labour enthusiasm the project could end up on the scrap-heap during the next parliament. |
| Raising the minimum wage faster | Raising the minimum wage faster |
| The SNP could also push Labour to raise the minimum wage faster. | The SNP could also push Labour to raise the minimum wage faster. |
| Labour says it wants to raise the rate of the wage floor to at least £8 by 2020, but the SNP has said its MPs would vote to take it to £8.70 by the same year. | Labour says it wants to raise the rate of the wage floor to at least £8 by 2020, but the SNP has said its MPs would vote to take it to £8.70 by the same year. |
| Electoral reform | Electoral reform |
| In 2010 SNP MSPs voted in support of introducing proportional representation at the UK parliament in Westminster. | In 2010 SNP MSPs voted in support of introducing proportional representation at the UK parliament in Westminster. |
| The SNP is doing very well out of Westminster’s current voting system and they may not rush change it – but they do support electoral reform in principle. | The SNP is doing very well out of Westminster’s current voting system and they may not rush change it – but they do support electoral reform in principle. |
| Despite a recent failed referendum on changing the voting system the question of electoral reform may rears its head again when people see how disproportionate the election results are. | Despite a recent failed referendum on changing the voting system the question of electoral reform may rears its head again when people see how disproportionate the election results are. |
| Trying to block more nuclear weapons | Trying to block more nuclear weapons |
| The SNP says it would not support renewing the Trident nuclear weapons system, while Labour supports building more of the bombs. | The SNP says it would not support renewing the Trident nuclear weapons system, while Labour supports building more of the bombs. |
| Since the SNP and Labour are more likely to have an informal supply-and-confidence arrangement than a fully fledged coalition, Labour would still be able to bring forward proposals to renew the massively destructive weapons – which are nearing the end of their lifespan. | Since the SNP and Labour are more likely to have an informal supply-and-confidence arrangement than a fully fledged coalition, Labour would still be able to bring forward proposals to renew the massively destructive weapons – which are nearing the end of their lifespan. |
| The SNP would probably not be able to block Trident renewal , however. The Tories, and to some extent the Lib Dems, also support renewing Trident – Labour would thus be able to rely on their support in parliament. | The SNP would probably not be able to block Trident renewal , however. The Tories, and to some extent the Lib Dems, also support renewing Trident – Labour would thus be able to rely on their support in parliament. |
| 50% tax rate for the rich | 50% tax rate for the rich |
| The SNP was initially coy on the reintroduction of the 50% top rate of income tax for the very richest when the policy was first announced by Ed Miliband. | The SNP was initially coy on the reintroduction of the 50% top rate of income tax for the very richest when the policy was first announced by Ed Miliband. |
| The party has now confirmed that it “absolutely” supports the top rate of tax and says it would work with Labour to re-introduce it in the event that it held the balance of power, however. | The party has now confirmed that it “absolutely” supports the top rate of tax and says it would work with Labour to re-introduce it in the event that it held the balance of power, however. |
| Scrapping the bedroom tax | Scrapping the bedroom tax |
| Sanctions have been blamed for significant hardship (Getty Images) Labour says it would scrap the ‘bedroom tax’ charge on social tenants claiming housing benefits with extra rooms. The SNP also agrees that the policy needs to be scrapped, meaning the two parties would likely make ending it a priority. | |
| Trying to prevent an EU referendum | Trying to prevent an EU referendum |
| SNP MPs would block any EU referendum and insist that any one that occurred would include a provision where England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland would all have to vote in favour for the UK to leave. | SNP MPs would block any EU referendum and insist that any one that occurred would include a provision where England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland would all have to vote in favour for the UK to leave. |
| Ed Miliband has said he probably won’t offer an EU referendum anyway, unless the European bloc sees major treaty change. | Ed Miliband has said he probably won’t offer an EU referendum anyway, unless the European bloc sees major treaty change. |
| But in that event, Labour would probably be able to find support from other parties – including the Tories – to get the vote past parliament. | But in that event, Labour would probably be able to find support from other parties – including the Tories – to get the vote past parliament. |
| More devolution | More devolution |
| The SNP would be very likely push for more powers for Scotland. What form that would exactly take is up in the air at the moment. | The SNP would be very likely push for more powers for Scotland. What form that would exactly take is up in the air at the moment. |
| Though Labour introduced devolution, it has since been more coy at devolving certain things like income tax to the parliament in Holyrood. This subject would be a matter of intense debate in post-election deal negotiations. | Though Labour introduced devolution, it has since been more coy at devolving certain things like income tax to the parliament in Holyrood. This subject would be a matter of intense debate in post-election deal negotiations. |