Lord Kerslake said the Labour party would 'need to have conversations' with the Liberal Democrats and SNP if the election produces a hung parliament. Labour played down the comments.

Boris Johnson today claimed Jeremy Corbyn is not 'tough enough' to stand up to Nicola Sturgeon and reject her demands for a second Scottish independence referendum.

The PM even suggested that his Labour rival may throw his weight behind the separatist campaign, and questioned the left-winger's commitment to keeping the United Kingdom glued together.

John Nicholson, the candidate for the marginal seat of Ochil and South Perthshire, tried to rally supporters with a tub-thumping speech ahead of the tightly-fought ballot on December 12.

Nicola Sturgeon today demanded £4 billion in extra funding for the NHS in Scotland as her latest price for supporting a minority Labour government.

In a dramatic intervention, Dominic Cummings said the General Election was 'much tighter' than the polls suggested and warned of a 'very real possibility of a hung parliament'.

Nicola Sturgeon's plans for an independent Scotland suffered a hammer blow today after a leading think tank warned splitting from the UK would mean 'more not less austerity' north of the border.

Teenage psychopath Aaron Campbell, who raped and murdered six-year-old Alesha MacPhail on the Isle of Bute, was subject to the SNP's Named Person scheme, a secret report reveals.

STEPHEN GLOVER: The British are respected for their good sense and moderation, or used to be. But they may be about to choose an extremist government that would crash the economy.

The Liberal Democrats lost the East Dunbartonshire seat to the SNP's Amy Callaghan by just 149 votes. Nicola Sturgeon was filmed shaking her fists with joy at the news of her party's gain.

Ms Sturgeon was filmed reacting to the Dunbartonshire East result while doing interviews at the Glasgow count, but has faced fierce criticism over her behaviour.

STEPHEN DAISLEY: Nicola Sturgeon's party went from 35 seats to 48, halving the Scottish Tory MP group and taking Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson's seat of East Dunbartonshire.

EUAN McCOLM: English voters wonder why Boris Johnson is bothering with Scotland as its health service is ailing and school attainment has dropped by more than a third due to changes by the SNP.

SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon teed up a pitch battle for the future of the UK claiming Boris Johnson will be 'subverting democracy' by refusing a ballot.

ANDREW PIERCE: Ian Blackford, the SNP leader in Parliament, who comfortably retained his Highlands seat, is non-executive chairman of internet provider Commsworld.

The SNP won 35 seats in 2017 but managed to secure 12 more at the general election last week - a surge which has bolstered Ms Sturgeon's calls for a second breakaway ballot.

The SNP leader made the admission as she addressed the Holyrood parliament and tore into the Prime Minister after his election win. The SNP itself now holds 47 of the 59 seats in Scotland.

Steven Bonnar, the newly elected MP for Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill, crossed his index finger and his middle finger as he made a 'solemn affirmation' to the monarch.

SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon said she had won overwhelming support north of the border in the election last week - and the PM had no right to block a new bid to break up the UK.

HENRY DEEDES: Word around Westminster is that Business Secretary Andrea Leadsom is for the chop.

Heather Anderson took up her seat on Tuesday to replace Alyn Smith, who had served as an MEP for 15 years but had to step down after being elected MP for Stirling in the recent general election.

The vote was driven by the SNP First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who insisted a second vote on independence is necessary to protect the country from the consequences of Brexit.

The Wombles, who found fame on TV in the Seventies, have come out of retirement to back the Spring Clean. They joined nearly 200 MPs including Environment Secretary Theresa Villiers.

The Labour leadership challenger made the comment at a hustings event last week and provoked fury from the party as she labelled its members 'Tories wrapped up in nationalist clothing'.

YouGov research found 51 per cent north of the border would support independence - the first time the firm has recorded a majority in favour since 2015.

The First Minister said that the Prime Minister's decision to block a new vote was 'a sign of weakness' as she continued to build her case the break up the UK.

Former Polish PM Mr Tusk suggested the UK would be focused on 'damage control' in the talks and warned Downing Street against planned divergence from continental rules.

The threat to the union has been underlined by research showing voters north of the border are divided 50-50 on the issue of independence.

Research by Panelbase suggests that a narrow majority would vote to break up the UK if Nicola Sturgeon gets her way over holding a fresh referendum.

Nicola Sturgeon is alleged to have issued the edict after concerns were raised at staff meetings about Derek Mackay's behaviour.

Police Scotland detectives have not 'received any complaint of criminality' but are 'assessing available information' in the wake of Thursday's bombshell revelations.

Kate Forbes only found out that she would announce the Scottish Government's spending pledges for the coming year at around 8am today - just after Derek Mackay resigned in disgrace.

Online trolls - some of whom told her to 'go back to India' and who mocked her Ugandan background - claimed to be members of Labour, the SNP and Green Party.

Salmond faces 14 charges of alleged offences against 10 women, all of which he denies.

Alex Salmond is tipped to make a dramatic SNP leadership comeback bid after he was cleared of sex assault charges this week. He could be deputy to MP Joanna Cherry, who led a bid to block Brexit last year.

Former deputy leader of the SNP Jim Sillars, 82, has said that the allegations against against Mr Salmond were the 'dirtiest blow' he has ever seen delivered in his 60 years of political life.

Alex Wilson had his account targeted by his devastated wife Pamela, who said he had left her to be with fellow SNP councillor Mandy Morgan. Pictured: Mr and Mrs Wilson.

Hosts on Airbnb have been flouting the coronavirus lockdown rules by advertising their properties as 'Covid-19 retreats' on the popular rental website.

Nicola Sturgeon today made clear she is willing to ease coronavirus lockdown restrictions in Scotland at a different rate to the rest of the UK.

MSP for Renfrewshire North and West Derek Mackay is entitled to a =n automatic severance payment of £11,945 for losing ministerial office.

OLIVER HOLT - CHIEF SPORTS WRITER IN NICE: From his table at a restaurant on the Promenade des Anglais, Phil Neville stares out at the shimmering waters of the Mediterranean.

Goncalo Guedes's second half strike proved the difference as Portugal saw off Holland 1-0 in Porto to become the inaugural winners of the UEFA Nations League.

Wales manager Ryan Giggs faces a dressing-room rebellion as his side struggles to qualify for Euro 2020. Defeats by Croatia and Hungary have left Wales fourth of five teams in Group E.

Ex-Liverpool star Sakho, 29, was suspended from football in 2016 after testing positive for a fat-burning substance. But it later emerged that the substance was not on the banned list.

Sanches's underwhelming time in the Bundesliga has come to a close after he completed a reported £23m move from German champions Bayern Munich to French side Lille on Friday afternoon.

Michael O'Neill warned the real tests begin now as his Northern Ireland squad prepare to face Germany in Monday's crunch Euro 2020 qualifier.

Wayne Rooney reportedly warned Jamie Vardy about his wife Rebekah's behavior during Euro 2016 - as Coleen Rooney accused the WAG of selling stories on her in a extraordinary Twitter rant.

TOM COLLOMOSSE IN TRNAVA: Former lifeguard Kieffer Moore kept Wales' Euro 2020 qualification hopes afloat with a goal on his competitive debut to earn Ryan Giggs' team a vital point.

Georginio Wijnaldum admits Holland's recent absence from major tournaments has been 'painful' as they look set to end that exodus at Euro 2020 next summer.

Cristiano Ronaldo took his goal-scoring career tally to an incredible 700 after netting in Portugal's 2-1 defeat against Ukraine. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner confidently slotted away a penalty.