SNP could make life difficult for Labour, says Humza Yousaf

Humza Yousaf has said the SNP could make life "very difficult" for Labour in a hung parliament if it refused to give Scotland independence vote powers.

Scotland's first minister reiterated that devolved power would be the price for SNP support on Labour's agenda.

However he said it was "obvious" that independence was not the "consistent settled will of the Scottish people".

Labour have repeatedly said they would not do a deal with the SNP on another referendum.

Last month senior figures in the SNP said they could hold the balance of power in the next parliament - the most explicit statement yet of their strategy ahead of the next general election.

Speaking on BBC One's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg, Mr Yousaf said having an independence referendum would be "top of the list" if Labour wanted SNP backing.

He said: "We would never prop up a Conservative government, ever. And underline that and put that in bold. But of course if Labour do not want to cooperate with us then we would make life very difficult for them."

Asked what he meant by this, Mr Yousaf pointed to budgets and the "legislative process".