NICOLA Sturgeon launched the SNP manifesto pledging to vote for a raft of Labour policies at Westminster, but to make Scotland's voice heard "like never before".

 

The First Minister revealed the plans at a climbing centre outside Edinburgh including commitments on opposing austerity, scrapping the renewal of Trident and calling for an increase in public spending.

Ms Sturgeon said the manifesto was a promise to people in Scotland but also across the UK.

Speaking to a crowd of several hundred at the centre in Ratho she said ending austerity was the SNP's number one priority.

She said:"This is a manifesto to make Scotland stronger at Westminster. If you vote SNP we will make your voice heard more loudly than it's ever been heard before."

On tax she said "its right that those with the broadest shoulders pay a little bit more".

Ms Sturgeon said the SNP would back an increase in the minimum wage to £8.70 by 2020, an additional £24bn for the NHS across the UK bringing £2bn to Scotland.

She added:"SNP MPs will vote against any further privatisation of the NHS in England and will back moves to restore it to a fully public service."

The pledges include

* A spending increase of 0.5 per cent a year to enable at least £140 billion extra investment in the economy and public services.

* Additional resources for the NHS of £9.5 billion spending above inflation across the UK by 2020/21 - £24 billion in total, £2 billion for Scotland.

*An annual UK target of 100,000 affordable homes, and use additional capital investment to deliver a further expansion of house-building in Scotland.

* Support for an increase in the Employment Allowance from £2,000 per business per year to £6,000, to help smaller firms take on and retain additional staff.

*A pledge to vote the retain the triple lock on pensions and protect the winter fuel allowance.

The 40 page manifesto says the SNP would back a number of the tax proposals contained in Labour's plans.

It states:" We will also vote for the following revenue raising measures.

"The re-introduction of a 50p top tax rate, a tax on bankers' bonuses a bank levy, a mansion tax a crackdown in tax avoidance and abolition of non-dom status."

Ms Sturgeon said as long as Scotland was part of the UK the SNP at Westminster would seek to ensure a better deal for everyone, but ensure that Scotland's voice would be heard louder and stronger.

She said: "The SNP will always support independence - but this election is not about independence. It is about making Scotland stronger. "

Rather then England being afraid on the SNP having influence over a Labour government, she said she had many people in England write to her saying they wish they could vote SNP

Many of the proposals depend on a Labour programme for government being proposed by Ed Miliband as Prime Minister but Ms Sturgeon declined to encourage people in England to vote for Labour.

She said: "I'm not going to tell people in England how to vote. Look for the most progressive candidate."

In a team of MPs that could include former First Minister, Alex Salmond, current Westminster SNP leader, Angus Robertson and SNP deputy leader, Stewart Hosie, Ms Sturgeon said she would be in control of any talks with Labour after the election.

She said "I'm the leader of the SNP. I will be in charge of any negotiations."

She said her MPs would be looking to improve live for people across the UK and would be looking to

She added: "I'm not trying to disrupt, or block or bring down."

She said: "We will seek to make common cause and build alliances with others of like mind across the UK to deliver the progressive change that so many want to see.

She added: "My pledge to people in England Wales and Northern Ireland is your views do matter you have a right to know what to expect of my party if we have influence in a parliament."