Former Labour First Minister McLeish says party should “keep all options open” on post-election deal with SNP

Yesterday on Andrew Marr, Ed Miliband avoided ruling out a future deal with the SNP after May’s election. Whilst Miliband said that he wasn’t willing top talk of deals, and said that his focus was on winning a majority government, he didn’t take the chance to rule out any future agreement with the SNP. That has led to some Labour MPs calling for Miliband to rule out such a deal.

But former Scottish First Minister Henry McLeish has told the Scotsman today that Miliband was right to “keep all options open”, saying:

“That would be good leadership and wise in the circumstances. It would be the best option for the future if there is no overall majority.”

“It makes sense for Scotland and the UK to have a channel of communication between MPs who want a free National Health Service and who believe that public services should be protected.”

“That’s why we’ve got to keep all options open on the basis of a social democratic programme. We have to make it clear to the public that all options are open.”

We wonder if McLeish has shared his views with his former Head of Policy when he was First Minister – otherwise known as John McTernan, Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy’s new Chief of Staff.