Nicola Sturgeon and Cameron set for showdown talks

Nicola Sturgeon will stage showdown talks with David Cameron on Friday to set out the SNP’s key demands from the new Conservative Government.

David Cameron and Nicola Sturgeon meet in January. Picture: PA

It’s believed the talks will be staged in Scotland and comes after the First Minister today met with the STUC where concerns were raised over the prospect of fresh austerity cuts under the new UK government.

Ms Sturgeon will make a statement to MSPs in Parliament later today on the impact of the general election result. She wants and end to austerity and more powers for the Scottish Parliament.

The SNP leader spoke with the Prime Minister by telephone on the day after the election last week which saw a Tory majority returned, while the SNP seized 56 of Scotland’s 59 Westminster seats.

Ms Sturgeon and Deputy First Minister John Swinney attended the meeting with the STUC this morning which resulted in a memorandum of understanding (MOU) setting out concerns over the impact of the general election.

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “The First Minister and the STUC share serious concerns over the impact on the people of Scotland of the UK Government commitment to continued austerity, the additional £12 billion of cuts to social security spending and further erosion of trades union and employment rights.”