Daily Politics
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"I think the last thing the ex-first minister would want to do is lead the Westminster group," says the SNP's Stewart Hosie. That was his response to a question from the Daily Politics about Alex Salmond's future.

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"It's for Ed Miliband to make his own decisions," Nicola Sturgeon says, but adds that she's already said a formal coalition is very unlikely, "so ruling that out doesn't change very much". But, she goes on, "Why would you want to turn your back on working with the SNP if the SNP and Labour could lock the Conservatives out of Downing Street?" If Ed Miliband ruled out any sort of co-operation with the SNP, it would be "the final nail in Labour's coffin in Scotland", she adds.

tweets:, external Latest Populus VI: Lab 34 (+2), Con 34 (+5), LD 8 (-), UKIP 15 (-3), Greens 5 (-1), Others 5 (-2). Tables here., external

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James Forsyth from the Spectator and James Bloodworth from Left Foot Forward will be on Campaign Countdown Review at 12:30 GMT on the BBC News Channel. They'll be discussing the rumour-mill ahead of this week's crunch Budget... and the fallout from Ed Miliband's "kitchen-gate".

The final plain packaging vote, in the House of Lords, is due to take place today. MPs in the Commons voted in favour of introducing standardised packaging for cigarettes in the UK last Wednesday with 367 MPs in favour and 113 against it in a free vote. If the Lords approve it, it means from 2016 every packet will look the same except for the make and brand name, with graphic photos accompanying health warnings

Nicola Sturgeon says that if she lived in Wales she would vote for Plaid Cymru and if she lived in England she would vote for the Greens. She then adds: "I would like to see more progressive Labour voices challenging the Labour leadership." She later quips: "But if you live in Scotland I would definitely vote SNP."

Sturgeon also answers a question on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). She said that she was "not against trade agreements in principle". However she said she would oppose any such deal which allowed companies to sue national governments. "I don't believe that is the right kind of thing to include," she says.

Nicola Sturgeon answers another question on a potential Labour/SNP deal. She says: "I have set out very clearly what my general approach is to the possibility of a hung parliament and how SNP would approach that. I am not for pre-election negotiations or deals.... I think that starts to get to the point where you start to treat the voters with contempt."

In answer to a question on Scotland's free tuition fee policy for university students Ms Sturgeon says she thinks it is "sustainable". She went on to explain that she was a "working class girl" and had the opportunity to go to university to study law, and says that the education she received was one of the reasons she was "standing here today". "Having had that opportunity, I have no right to take that opportunity away from other people". She said she believes in a person's "ability to learn" rather than their "ability to pay".

Nicola Sturgeon says a coalition with Labour is "unlikely", but on a "looser arrangement" she would be prepared to work with Labour. She said that she has heard Ed Miliband is set to rule out a coalition later today.

In her speech SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon says: "We have clear and constructive views on many aspects of UK policy which affect Scotland deeply - views which we know are often shared by many people elsewhere in the UK. We intend to bring those ideas forward in a positive spirit. We will argue for a moderate approach to deficit reduction - one which doesn't penalise the vulnerable and harm economic growth."

Daily Politics
Live on BBC Two

On Monday's Daily Politics, Jo Coburn is joined by a panel of parliamentary candidates: Conservative Nusrat Ghani, Labour's Sarah Sackman, Lib Dem Julia Goldsworthy and the Green Party's Darren Hall - to discuss political stories from Westminster. They will crunch the numbers over what might happen in the event of a hung parliament, as the SNP's Stewart Hosie will join in after Nicola Sturgeon's speech in London where she talks of "positive change across the UK". And they will debate the news that Conservative chairman Grant Shapps continued his writing career for a short time after becoming an MP.

Desktop viewers can watch live from 12:00 to 12:00 GMT, or later, via the Live Coverage tab above.

The SNP leader says she "morally" disagrees with the Trident nuclear weapons system and says it "places huge pressure on spending" more widely by government. Furthermore, she says, it's "impossible to imagine" a scenario in which it would be used. Nicola Sturgeon says the money spent on Trident should instead be spent on the NHS, education and other public services. 'We're buying a status symbol in place of a strategy," she adds.

Nicola Sturgeon urges George Osborne to include a "significant increase in work allowance" to "genuinely improve incentives to work" in his Budget, and to help those families who are working and yet still living in poverty.

Image source, PA

Reacting to Ofcom's statement on party election broadcasts, UKIP chairman Steve Crowther said: "I am pleased to hear the ruling confirming that UKIP is now recognised as a major party. The fact that UKIP was the victor in the last two by-elections, in the European elections last year, whilst maintaining its regular polling in the high teens and is considerably ahead of the Liberal Democrats, and in many parts of the country is supported by a quarter of the electorate or more, means that this is simply a recognition of what everybody knows."

tweets:, external Nicola Sturgeon tells a packed LSE how minority govt can be good govt #lsescotland #ge15

Image source, Elizabeth Lloyd

"The current UK Budget process simply does not lead to the best decisions and has all the hallmarks of Westminster culture at its worst," Nicola Sturgeon continues. "It seems to make poor decisions more likely," she says and refers to 2012's Budget, which was labelled an "omni-shambles" by critics. She called for more transparency and said that "better consultation" leads to "better decisions and proper scrutiny".

tweets:, external Period of minority government after the general election could have "many benefits", Sturgeon suggests, including more consensual decisions.