The Scottish National Party is willing to discuss a coalition deal with a minority Labour government after the election, provided that the Trident nuclear submarines are removed from Scotland, the country's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said on Sunday.
Sturgeon also added that the party is only looking for a “less formal arrangement” rather than a full-fledged coalition with the Labour Party.
"In terms of supporting a minority Labour government, I have been clear we wouldn't have a formal coalition, it would be a less formal arrangement, and yes of course I would expect (Labour leader) Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour Party to respect Scotland's right to choose our own future", Sturgeon was quoted by Sky News as saying.
Coalition Agreement Talks
The SNP previously underscored that the removal of the Trident nuclear submarine fleet from the Faslane naval base in Scotland would be central to any agreement with the Labour Party in the event of a general election win.
Reacting to the statement, UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace warned that a deal between Labour and the Scottish National Party would put the country’s security at risk.
Last week, UK opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn ruled out the possibility of a coalition agreement, saying that the party is not going to “do deals with anybody”.
The SNP first floated the idea of a possible alliance with Labour to help it gain a governing majority in Parliament earlier this month, saying that it would expect a second independence referendum in return.
The United Kingdom is set to hold an early Parliamentary election amid the Brexit stalemate as the legislature was unable to agree on a deal negotiated by Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The vote is set to take place on 12 December.
Support for the Tories has fallen slightly, according to a recent survey by BMG, currently standing at 41%. Meanwhile, the Labour Party has also seen a decline in support with 28% of voters' backing compared to the previous 30%.
