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BBC debate:Miliband and Sturgeon clash over post-election deal

Ed Miliband has clashed with SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon after she said she would only
support him as PM if he showed he was "better than the Tories".

She said she wanted a "progressive" alliance with Plaid Cymru's Leanne Wood and the Green
Party's Natalie Bennett.

Mr Miliband, Labour leader, said he wanted to win a majority and would not form a coalition
with the SNP.

UKIP leader Nigel Farage also clashed with Mr Miliband on the economy and immigration in
the BBC election debate.

You can watch the debate reaction and follow text commentary here

Prime Minister David Cameron and Lib Dem Deputy Prime Minister Mr Clegg did not take part.

The debate finished with Mr Miliband issuing a direct challenge to Mr Cameron to take part in
a debate with him, telling him: "If you believe this election is about leadership then debate
me one-on-one."

The Labour leader came out on top in a snap poll. In a survey of 1,013 viewers conducted by
Survation for the Daily Mirror, Mr Miliband 35% judged him the winner, against 31% for Ms
Sturgeon, 27% for Mr Farage, 5% for Ms Bennett and 2% for Ms Wood. The Scottish part of
the survey sample gave the debate to Ms Sturgeon, with 68%, to Mr Miliband's 17%.


During the 90-minute programme the Labour leader faced repeated calls from Nicola
Sturgeon and Leanne Wood to reject austerity and form a "progressive" alliance with their
parties to keep the Conservatives out of government.

The two nationalist leaders and Ms Bennett said they would not prop up a Conservative
government.
Ms Sturgeon claimed Mr Miliband was "so scared to be bold" that he was "not even doing the
right thing by the NHS", telling the audience that "if Labour won't be bold enough on its own,

I think people should vote for parties that will hold Labour to account and make them bolder".


As the debate reached its climax, Mr Miliband was asked whether he would form a coalition
with the SNP. He told Ms Sturgeon he had "fundamental disagreements" with her over her
support for Scottish independence, adding: "It's a 'no', I'm afraid."

Ms Sturgeon said this election was about "seizing an alternative to austerity," adding: "I want
Labour to be bolder and deliver the change we need. Don't turn your back on that, Ed, and let
David Cameron back into Downing Street".

Mr Miliband hit back: "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 "the difference is I have fought Tories all my life," accusing the SNP of allowing the
Tories to take power in 1979 by bringing down the Labour administration of James Callaghan.

'Astonishing'

Nigel Farage set his stall out early as being against the "politically correct" consensus - but he
riled the audience at London's Methodist Central Hall, saying they were remarkable
"even by the left-wing standards of the BBC".
Amid boos from the hall, host David Dimbleby said the audience had been selected by a
polling company, not the corporation.


The UKIP leader then clashed with Ms Sturgeon over immigration.
"Just astonishing," said Mr Farage in response to the SNP leader's assertion that not all

problems in the UK are caused by immigration.
"Yes you are," replied Ms Sturgeon.

'Real alternative'

Mr Farage also repeated his claim that the NHS was spending too much on treating foreign
nationals with HIV, saying the "vast majority" of people in Britain would agree with him and
the NHS should not be an "international health service".

The UKIP leader was accused by Ms Bennett of "demonising" migrants and by Ms Sturgeon of
"intolerance". Mr Miliband also accused him of "exploiting people's fears"

Analysis by BBC Political Editor Nick Robinson

I suspect the prime minister will think that tonight went pretty much as he hoped it would.
Why? Because what will stick in the memory is not the man who wasn't there but the row
that was.

Ed Miliband faced attacks from the SNP's Nicola Sturgeon backed by Plaid Cymru's Leanne
Wood and the Greens' Natalie Bennett for being "Tory Lite", letting the Tories off the hook
and not being bold enough.

This may allow the Labour leader to be seen as more moderate than his left wing rivals. There
is, though, a big chance that this will simply boost Labour's rivals and split their vote.

Read Nick's full analysis here.

Mr Miliband then claimed Mr Farage's real agenda was to get rid of the NHS and replace it
with private health insurance - which sparked a furious reaction from the UKIP leader, who
accused Mr Miliband of "lying ... in front of millions of people and you keep on doing it, and

lying won't win you the election".


Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood challenged Mr Miliband to hold an "emergency budget" to
end austerity if he becomes prime minister, but Mr Miliband did not rise to the bait, insisting
Labour had plans that would help working families.

In her closing statement, Ms Bennett said: "The Green Party are the real challengers offering
a million new jobs, combating climate change, protecting vital community services.
Challenge the establishment. Vote Green."

Earlier this month, the five party leaders - together with Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg - clashed
in the first televised debate of the 2015 election. That followed a live question and answer
programme in which the prime minister and Mr Miliband appeared separately.

There will also be a special Question Time on BBC One, a week before polling day, with Mr
Cameron, Mr Miliband and Mr Clegg appearing separately on the programme to answer
questions from a studio audience.

Mr Clegg said he had been "denied the opportunity" to speak in Friday's debate because
David Cameron had not wanted to take part. Mr Cameron agreed to do one TV debate with six

other party leaders, which took place last month.
It was decided that this debate would be for party leaders that were not in government,
meaning Mr Clegg was not offered a place on the podium.


Mr Cameron said this evening's debate was "part of the deal that was done to unblock the
log-jam about TV debates" and he was "delighted that I played a role unblocking that log-
jam". He said all participants in it were arguing to "abandon the plan that has turned this
country around and has got us more jobs, more livelihoods and more business".

Responding to Mr Clegg's complaint, a BBC spokesman said broadcasters had worked hard to
ensure "that their audiences were offered the best possible combination of programmes to
help them engage with the election, to inform them about the issues and to scrutinise the politicians".

He added that the BBC was "satisfied" that its range of election programmes met the
obligation to provide "due impartiality" and all relevant parties had the chance to put their case.

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Source:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2015-32328664