Miliband tells Sturgeon in final TV debate: I won't do a deal with you
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Version 0 of 1. Ed Miliband has spurned repeated pleas from the Scottish National party leader, Nicola Sturgeon, to form an anti-Tory coalition to lock the Conservatives out of government and together deliver “real change”. At the close of what had been a relatively routine TV debate between five opposition party leaders, the simmering contest between Sturgeon and Miliband came to the boil when she said: “I can help Labour be bolder … take the chance to kick David Cameron out of Downing Street. Don’t turn your back on it - people will never forgive you. “It’s about delivering real change – not pretend change – real change for people right across this country. Is it the case that you would rather see David Cameron go back into Downing Street than work with the SNP? Surely that cannot be your position.” However, Miliband rebuffed her calls: “I have fought the Conservatives all my life. We have profound differences. That why I’m not going to have a coalition with the SNP. I’m not going to put at risk the unity of the United Kingdom. It’s a no, I’m afraid”. With Cameron declining to attend the debate, held in London, Miliband tried to take on the mantle of prime minister in waiting. At the close of the 90 minutes, Miliband turned his fire on his absent rival, saying: “David Cameron refused to come and debate tonight, but I have got a message for him. David, if you think this election is about leadership, then debate me one on one. I believe my ideas, my vision for the country are better for the working families of Britain. If you disagree, then prove it. Debate me and let the people decide.” Related: How did the challengers fare in the final TV debate? Guardian columnists' verdict In a Survation/Mirror poll, the only snap verdict on the contest, Miliband was declared the winner with 35%; Sturgeon, 31%; the Ukip leader, Nigel Farage, 27%; the Green party leader, Natalie Bennett, 5%; and Plaid Cymru’s Leanne Wood, 2%. Opinions will differ over whether Cameron was right to avoid the debate, but Conservatives insisted the exchanges had shown the dangers of a “coalition of chaos” in which Miliband would be dependent on Sturgeon to stay in power. The Liberal Democrats, hardly mentioned in the debate, also claimed it had revealed nothing but a rabble, and had underscored the need for the centrist Nick Clegg to be involved in any future coalition. Miliband knew in advance that his attendance was a risk because he could be left isolated by a triple alliance of leftwing party leaders – Sturgeon, Bennett and Wood – as the spokesman for stale Westminster politics and austerity economics. Scottish Labour MPs were desperate for Miliband to go after Sturgeon, but he also had to counterbalance any attacks with the need to show he had the restraint and gravitas of a putative prime minister. Miliband, on the back foot about spending cuts and the Trident nuclear deterrent for some time, at the close hit back at Sturgeon: “You have got a very odd approach, because you claim you want a Labour government but you are saying anyone but Labour. In England, you are saying, ‘Vote Green’, in Wales ‘Vote Plaid Cymru’, and you know that for every one less Labour MP the likelihood is we will end up with David Cameron and Nick Clegg – perhaps with a bit of Nigel thrown in. “You want to gamble on getting rid of a Tory government. I can guarantee that we get rid of a Tory government if you vote Labour.” He added that Sturgeon had not ruled out a second Scottish referendum on independence, and had proposed full fiscal autonomy for Scotland, something that would require £7bn of spending cuts. He said: “I respect your views that you want to break up the country, but it’s not my view. I think that would be a disaster for the working people of Britain.” Sturgeon, speaking with passion and speed, replied: “I will never ever do a deal with the Tories. Let me make that crystal clear. The polls will show Ed isn’t strong enough to get rid of the Tories on his own. I will work with Labour, with Leanne, with Natalie, so that together we can get rid of the Tories. Related: Cameron's 'not invited' line draws fire from party leaders “But what I say to Ed is, I want Ed to replace the Tories with something different, better, more progressive, because progressive change is what this country is crying out for. That’s my offer to Ed Miliband. If he’s prepared to be better than the Tories, then I am prepared to work with him to replace the Tories, which I think is what many people want to see. “This is about how we deliver better politics for people not just in Scotland but right across the UK. It’s about an opportunity to seize an alternative to austerity. Ed’s going into the election not promising money for the NHS it needs. What I’m saying is that I can help Labour be bolder to deliver the changes we need. For me it’s about making Scotland’s voice heard but secondly it’s about delivering real change. “Don’t turn your back on that, Ed, and let David Cameron back into Downing Street.” In the other major drama of the debate Farage, the only voice on the right at the debate, was jeered when he rounded on the BBC, claiming it had planted a left-wing audience. He then accused Miliband of lying over immigration. Farage said: “When you lose an argument, you tend to resort to abusing your opponents. There’s been quite a lot of that towards Ukip recently. “We have to be honest and say if you’re EU members, you cannot do anything. ... [We want ] control of our borders and [to] put in place an Australian-style points system so we can choose the quantity and type of people coming into the country. “The fact there are very good doctors and nurses in this country is not the point. People in government have to make tough choices. If it’s saying to older people we cannot treat you for breast cancer or prostate cancer because we haven’t got the money … [and people are coming here with no link to the UK for treatment]. “You ask yourself a sane question: is the job of the NHS a national health service or an international health service?” When Farage accused Miliband, he shouted: “Stop lying! Ukip believes in a free NHS. He’s lying to people. We need to make sure we have immigration that is right for our economic needs.” Sturgeon said: “I represent a community in Glasgow with high levels of eastern European immigration … but the answer is to crack down on the gang-masters and invest in public services. We are a nation of immigrants … we don’t want a cap. What does our economy need, that should drive our decisions on immigration?” |