The Scotsman cartoon: Salmond’s plan for Westminster

ALEX Salmond appeared to rule out a formal coalition in the event of a Labour victory at the next general election but revealed that the SNP would back Ed Miliband’s party on a “vote by vote” basis.

Illustration: Iain Green

Mr Salmond was speaking a day after announcing his candidacy for his party’s nomination as MP for the Gordon constituency in Aberdeenshire.

The former First Minister is predicting Labour would struggle to find coalition partners in the event of a hung Parliament after next May’s UK election.

The SNP would back any future government on a “vote by vote” basis similar to the short-term alliances he built during the SNP’s first minority government, he said.

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