THE SNP has opened the door to non-members standing for next year’s general election as Nicola Sturgeon prepared to pave the way for a Westminster deal to keep the Conservatives out of Downing Street.
At an emotional first day of the party’s conference in Perth, where Ms Sturgeon and Dundee East MP Stewart Hosie were elected as the new leadership team, it was decided individuals who were involved in the Yes campaign and who recently joined or are not members could stand for the party in the coming Westminster election.
The major focus of proceedings was on independence, with all the main speeches whipping delegates into a frenzy at the prospect of a rerun of September’s referendum and the topic forming the main event at a number of fringe events.
However, when she makes her first keynote speech as party leader today, Ms Sturgeon will raise the prospect of a post-election pact with Labour to ensure the Conservative Party cannot govern the UK without a majority from next May.
She is also expected to make a multi-million-pound pledge to businesses in an attempt to shore up any potential worries about the SNP’s expected shift to the left under her leadership.
Ms Sturgeon will say: “Over the next few weeks, I will set out directly to Scottish business the support they can expect from my government to help them innovate, export, be more competitive and create more jobs.
“However, I can announce today that as part of that focus on wealth creation, the cornerstone of our support for the nation’s smallest enterprises will continue.
“The small business bonus will help almost 100,000 small businesses next year to the tune of £165 million.
“My pledge today is this that support will continue, not just for the remainder of the parliament but, if we are reelected, it will continue for the entire lifetime of the next parliament as well.”
On the election, the First Minister in waiting will accuse Labour of trying “the biggest con-trick in Scottish politics” by asking people to vote for them to keep the Conservatives out.
She will point to the 2010 election result and raise the prospect of a potential Tory/Ukip coalition and pledge to “challenge the despicable politics of Nigel Farage and fight Scotland’s corner”.
Sources said any potential deal with Labour would likely be on an issue by issue basis rather than a formal coalition.
Ms Sturgeon will add: “Scotland could well hold the balance of power in a Westminster parliament with no overall majority.
“If that happens, I promise you this you won’t need to have voted Labour to keep the Tories out, because that’s what we’ll do. My pledge to Scotland today is this the SNP will never put the Tories into government.”
Accepting the leader’s position, Ms Sturgeon laid down the challenge to delegates to leave Perth with “the intention of winning the Westminster election for Scotland next May”.
She also pledged under her leadership the SNP would “keep making the case for Scotland being an independent country” but made clear Scotland would only leave the UK when a majority of its people back this in a referendum.
Ms Sturgeon praised Mr Hosie, saying he would an “outstanding” depute leader for the party, before telling him: “I look forward immensely with you at my side to leading this party to even bigger and better times ahead.”
She also paid tribute to Mr Salmond, giving the outgoing First Minister, who has taken the SNP from being a party of opposition to majority government at Holyrood, the “biggest thank-you”.
kiandrews@thecourier.co.uk