Nicola Sturgeon ( pictured ) said SNP is open to an arrangement with Labour and suggested Labour 's backbenchers would support some SNP policies . Ed Miliband will be 'held hostage ' in Downing Street by the SNP , it was claimed today as Nicola Sturgeon said there was no way Labour could win without her . A dramatic collapse in support for Labour in Scotland is expected to rob Mr Miliband of an overall majority , forcing him to rely on the SNP to form a government . Ms Sturgeon teased the Labour leader today , claiming he is still 'clinging to the pretence ' that he has a chance of winning a majority on May 7 , insisting she will wield 'clout ' in Westminster . Ms Sturgeon said her party was open to an arrangement with Labour after the election . The Scottish First Minister hinted that many of Labour 's MPs would support certain SNP policies such as bringing an end to austerity and scrapping Trident . After weeks of pressure , Mr Miliband has ruled out a formal coalition with the SNP but he could be forced to do a deal to stop them voting down his government . Ms Sturgeon told BBC Radio 4 's Today programme : 'He is still clinging to the pretence he has got some chance of winning an overall majority . 'We have got vast experience as a minority Government ... the principles are the same . You have to build alliances , you have to win votes on a case-by-case basis . 'It would be far better than what usually happens to Scotland at Westminster , which is we are ignored or sidelined . 'The bottom line here is , if Scotland wants to have that influence , that power , that clout in Westminster , the only way get it is to vote SNP . 'If there is real SNP strength in the House of Commons we can force progressive change . ' She also repeated the threat from former First Minister Alex Salmond to lock the Tories out of government , even if David Cameron wins the most seats . Brushing aside claims it was arrogant , Ms Sturgeon replied : 'If the Tories ca n't command a majority , then they do n't deserve to be in government . ' Labour leader Ed Miliband used the launch of his election campaign at the Olympic Park in east London today to claim : 'There is one way to get the Tories out and that 's to elect a Labour government ' Senior Conservative William Hague condemned the remarks as proof that Mr Miliband would be propeped up by a party which wanted to break up the Union . He said : 'Now you have it straight from Nicola Sturgeon – it is the SNP 's sworn intention to hold Ed Miliband hostage in Downing Street and dictate terms on how Britain is governed . 'And we know too what 's in the ransom note : £148 billion more wasteful borrowing , higher taxes on ordinary families , weaker defences and more debt than our children could ever hope to repay . Labour campaign chief Douglas Alexander ( pictured ) said Ms sturgeon has an 'anyone but Labour ' strategy and is committed to independence . 'We can not let this happen to our country . The only way to keep Ed Miliband and the SNP out of Downing Street is to vote Conservative on 7 May . ' Mr Miliband sought to play down the prospect of an SNP deal , tell activists at his election campaign launch : 'There is one way to get the Tories out and that 's to elect a Labour government . ' Labour campaign chief Douglas Alexander told BBC News channel : 'The agenda of the Scottish National Party is very obvious - they want to drive down the vote of Labour in Scotland and they want to drive up the Tory vote . 'Why ? Because ( Ms Sturgeon ) remains committed to independence . She judges the most propitious circumstances to be of a Tory government here in Westminster after the election in May , and after that to try to secure support in the 2016 election in Scotland for a second referendum . ' Later Ms Sturgeon told BBC News : 'In that post-election scenario , if the SNP wins the trust of people in Scotland and is there in numbers , then we 've said very clearly there are no circumstances in which we would support a Conservative government . 'We would be open to a working arrangement with Labour - not a formal coalition , I 've always said that 's highly unlikely . 'That could be an arrangement that 's akin to confidence and supply . 'If we were to have an arrangement on that basis , we 've been very clear we would want an alternative to austerity - modest spending increases that still see debt and deficit reduce as a share of income , but nevertheless allow us to invest in things like innovation and infrastructure and protecting the vulnerable . ' She said that a fresh independence referendum would not be the price for a post-election deal : 'Voting SNP in the general election does n't lead to another independence referendum . 'If there is to be another independence referendum - and I hope that one day there will be - that will only happen if people elect a Scottish Government in a Scottish Parliament election that has that in the manifesto and has the ability in the Scottish Parliament to pass that legislation . '
Sturgeon said Miliband is 'clinging to the pretence ' of winning a majority . Scottish First Minister said her party is open to arrangement with Labour . She suggested Labour 's backbenchers would support several SNP policies . Douglas Alexander accused Ms Sturgeon of 'trying to end the Labour Party '