'Not in a Million Years': Miliband Rules Out Budget Coordination With SNP

SNP leader Alex Salmond will never write the budget plan, Labour Party head Ed Miliband hoped on Monday.

LONDON (Sputnik) – The leader of the United Kingdom's Labour Party Ed Miliband turned down Monday even the hypothetical possibility of coordinating a future budget with the Scottish National Party (SNP) in the event of his party's success in the upcoming elections.

On Sunday, former First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond expressed hope that the SNP would gain extra seats in Parliament at the May 7 General Election, forcing the Labour party to coordinate its budget with the SNP.

"I'll tell you who's going to be writing the Labour budget, it's me and Ed Balls. And it's not going to be Alex Salmond, not in a million years," Miliband said in a speech after arriving in Scotland.

Balls is a Labour Member of Parliament and Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer.

"There's only two options. A Tory Government or a Labour Government. Our job is to show people that choice," Miliband said.

An ICM poll commissioned by the Guardian released early Monday showed the SNP's lead over Labour in Scotland had remained unchanged for four months at a 43-to-27 percent rate.

Last week, Miliband rejected claims of a possible Labour-SNP government coalition, despite polls showing Labour may compromise up to 27 of its Scottish seats.

According to the Electoral Calculus poll, Labour is predicted to gain considerably on the incumbent Conservative Party nationwide, though falling 19 seats short of an outright majority.

As of September 2014, the SNP is the United Kingdom's third-largest party in terms of membership after Labour and the Conservatives.