Sturgeon Hails Scottish Sun Backing

Nicola Sturgeon has welcomed the Scottish Sun's endorsement of the SNP in next week's General Election as another boost'' for her party's campaign.

But the Scottish First Minister insisted the support which really matters is that of the voters around the country for the SNP's aspirational'' campaign.

The tabloid newspaper north of the border said the SNP will fight harder for Scotland's interests at Westminster'' as it announced its backing for the party in the May 7 poll.

In a front page along a Star Wars theme, the headline reads Stur Wars'' and Nicola Sturgeon is portrayed as Princess Leia.

Asked whether she was pleased to be portrayed as the Princess, Ms Sturgeon said: I think I'll carry on being leader of SNP and campaign hard.

I welcome the endorsement of the (Scottish) Sun. It's another boost for the SNP campaign, the first tabloid newspaper to support us in this election.

But the support that really matters is the support of people right across Scotland and we'll be working hard every single day between now and next Thursday to say to people, if you want Scotland's voice to be heard, the only way to ensure that is to vote SNP and to send a big team of SNP MPs to stand up for Scotland and to stand up for better politics at Westminster, for the benefit of people right across the UK.''

The Scottish Sun's position emerged as the UK edition of The Sun announced it will support the Conservatives at the General Election.

One of the reasons it listed was to stop SNP running the country''.

Ms Sturgeon responded to the development as she hit the campaign trail in the Leith area of Edinburgh and unveiled the SNP's final advert of the election campaign.

The picture, showing some of the green seats in the House of Commons turned into red tartan, proclaims: More SNP seats. More power for Scotland.''

Ms Sturgeon, who was mobbed by supporters during the launch and posed for a number of photographs, said the message behind the campaign was straightforward.

She said: The simple message that we'll take to every corner of the country over the next seven days is this one: If you want Scotland's voice to be louder, if you want the Westminster system to work better for people in Scotland and people across the UK then you've got to come out and vote SNP because the more seats we have in the House of Commons the more power Scotland has.''