SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon has said “the outlook for Scotland is sunny” on the eve of the General Election.
Ms Sturgeon said Thursday’s vote could be a “watershed election”, with opinion polls suggesting Labour is facing a wipeout in its historic heartlands north of the border to be replaced by SNP MPs.
The Scottish First Minister, who will be in London on Friday for VE Day commemorations, said it is up to the people to decide whether she joins the Westminster power-brokering by returning a hung parliament.
Speaking at a rally in Edinburgh city centre, which was packed with supporters braving spring showers, Ms Sturgeon said the SNP “is in a wonderful position” going into the election.
Politicians from all parties have a duty to respect the outcome of the election and work together if no single party gains a majority, she said.
She sent a message to the rest of the UK that “there is no reason to fear the SNP”, insisting the party will play “a positive and constructive role at Westminster”.
“The weather may be a wee bit dreich in Edinburgh this morning but the outlook for Scotland is sunny – very sunny,” she said.
“The SNP is in a wonderful position going into this election and that is down not to me or anybody in the SNP leadership, that is down to all of you and I thank you for it.”
She added: “At the heart of this campaign lies this simple truth: the more seats the SNP wins tomorrow, the more power Scotland is going to have, and that is the prize that is now within our grasp.
“We are now within touching distance, if we continue to work hard today and tomorrow, of doing something the SNP has never done in our history – winning a Westminster election.
“If we do that, then the voice of Scotland is going to be heard more loudly at Westminster than it has ever been heard before.
“On Friday morning, whatever the outcome, all of us as politicians have a duty to respect that outcome and if voters across the UK decide not to give Ed Miliband or David Cameron a majority then they are saying that they want parties to work together.
“The SNP stands ready to work with others who want to see the Tories out of office.”