britain will be saddled with a crippling extra £148billion of debt if the snp wins a share of power, the treasury warned last night the official costing of nicola sturgeon's plans reveals they involve a massive spending spree that would have to be funded by higher taxes or even higher borrowing the analysis, conducted by treasury officials and signed off by the permanent secretary, show that spending under the snp would be £148billion higher than forecast in this month's budget it came as gordon brown used his valedictory speech in the commons to warn that the 'fragile' uk is 'potentially at a point of departure' in the wake of last year's referendum on scottish independence scroll down for video  nicola sturgeon and alex salmond's plans for a deal with labour could cost britain £148billion  the conservatives seized on the treasury figures as evidence that a labour government propped up by the snp would force britain deeper into the red a spokesman said taxpayers would be landed with a huge bill if the parties ended up in power 'it is now impossible for ed miliband to become prime minister without crawling into downing street on the coat tails of the snp – with alex salmond calling the tune,' he said 'we now know the consequence of that will be £148billion more borrowing, higher taxes, unlimited welfare, and weaker defence' david cameron this week branded ed miliband (pictured) 'alex salmond's poodle' – warning that labour would be forced to dance to the snp's tune  miss sturgeon, the snp's leader, has pledged to reverse austerity measures if she wins a share of power in may while the conservatives are promising to identify £30billion of spending and welfare cuts, miss sturgeon says she would increase real terms public spending by at least half a per cent a year to allow extra 'investment' the treasury analysis suggests this would lead to massive additional spending, adding to britain's £15trillion debt mountain it suggests the snp's plans would involve an extra £207billion spending next year, an extra £397billion in 2017 18, an extra £488billion in 2018 19 and an extra £383billion in 2019 20 the analysis is a blow to the snp, whose economic credibility is already under question, but it is also a setback for labour, which may be forced to do a deal with the nationalists who appear poised to claim dozens of labour seats at the election former snp leader mr salmond, who hopes to return to westminster as kingmaker, says his party will vote down any attempt by the tories to run a minority government after the election instead, he says his mps will line up with labour to put mr miliband in downing street david cameron this week branded mr miliband 'alex salmond's poodle' – warning that labour would be forced to dance to the snp's tune the snp's plans were facing fresh scrutiny last night over claims that the party 'fiddled the figures' in order to hide a £41billion hole in its bid for scotland to be handed full economic powers labour called for an inquiry into the proposals, amid fears the collapse in the price of oil makes them unsustainable a study by leading economist professor brian ashcroft and the scottish parliament information centre, found that the plans now fell more than £4billion short labour's deputy leader in scotland kezia dugdale said the report left the snp's plans 'in tatters' but miss sturgeon dismissed the report, saying that taking full control of economic powers was the only way to 'defend' scotland from westminster cuts
nicola sturgeon's labour britain 148billion tories david cameron miliband alex salmond's
nicola sturgeon's plans for deal with labour could cost britain £148billion . massive spending spree would be funded by higher taxes or borrowing . tories said taxpayers would be landed with huge bill if parties win power . david cameron this week branded mr miliband 'alex salmond's poodle'