SNP 'Would Shake Up Westminster'

Nicola Sturgeon said the SNP would shake up the Westminster establishment'' and make the rest of the UK take notice of Scotland in the upcoming general election. The SNP leader said the ballot in May represented anhistoric moment'' where people could shift the balance of power from the corridors of Westminster to the streets and communities of Scotland''. Polls are suggesting that the Scottish nationalists could win dozens of seats in the election, and could hold the balance of power. Ms Sturgeon pledged today that if there is a hung parliament, SNP MPs wouldvote to stop a Tory Government even getting off the ground''. She then called on Labour's Ed Miliband to do the same and commit to working with the Nationalists to lock David Cameron out of Downing street''. With less than six weeks to go till the general election, the big UK parties areweaker than ever before'', she said. In contrast support for the SNP continues to rise, with Ms Sturgeon announcing membership of her party now stands at 102,143. She told the SNP conference in Glasgow: The only way for Scotland to shake up the Westminster establishment is to vote SNP.'' Ms Sturgeon said if her party is in a position of influence at Westminster SNP MPs woulddemand an alternative to slash and burn austerity''. Keeping the NHS in public hands would be another priority, she said, along with voting against any replacement for the Trident nuclear weapons system, which is based in Scotland on the Clyde. The Scottish First Minister said: At a time when in-work poverty is on the rise and people are being forced to use food banks, when public services are under strain and conventional defence forces are being cut to the bone, we will stand firm and unwavering against a single brass penny - let alone #100 billion - being spent on the obscene status symbol that is a new generation of Trident nuclear weapons.'' In the run up to the general election she said there wouldcontinue to be talk of the deals that might be done after the election''. Ms Sturgeon vowed: We will work every day to protect Scotland's interests and to make your voice heard.We will seek to use whatever influence you give us to call a halt to ever deeper austerity, to protect our NHS and to say loudly and clearly that the precious resources of our country should be invested in the future of our children, not in nuclear bombs. We will use our influence to win for our Scottish Parliament the full financial and social powers that it needs to grow our economy and create more jobs.And we will work in a spirit of friendship and co-operation with others who share our ideals - we will work with everyone, wherever they may be in the UK, who wants to see greater fairness and prosperity at the heart of their communities too.''