General Election 2015: Andy Burnham opens path for Labour talks with the SNP despite Miliband’s no deal stance
Shadow health secretary Andy Burnham has confirmed that Labour would talk to the SNP to pass Labour's agenda through the House of Commons in the event of a hung parliament after the General Election.
Burnham was asked on BBC Radio 5 Live: "Just pretend that Labour can't govern their own and they have a minority and they will need the help of the Scottish National Party to get their policies through the House of Commons, there will have to be a dialogue, won't there? Yes or no?."
Burnham responded: "Of course."
He added:
Parties talk in the House of Commons about government business, that’s what happens – all parties talk.
Ed Miliband ruled out any sort of deal with the SNP last night during the leaders' Question Time special. The audience pressed Miliband on what sort of arrangement Labour might make with the SNP to win the keys to number 10.
The Labour leader said: "If it meant we weren't going to be in government, not doing a coalition, not doing a deal, then so be it."
Nicola Sturgeon hit back saying she was "appalled" by Miliband's decision to rule out an arrangement with the SNP in a bid to keep the Tories out of Downing Street.
The Conservatives have been hammering away at what they see as the dangers of a Labour-SNP deal.
With the polls still roughly neck and neck, convincing swing voters in marginal constituencies that a Miliband government propped up by the SNP could threaten the UK economy may prove a winning formula for the Tories.
The SNP have stormed ahead in Scotland and if the polls are reflected on election day Labour face a wipeout in what was once their heartlands.
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