Labour's Sir Keir Starmer has refused to rule out a coalition with the Liberal Democrats after the next general election.
Asked repeatedly by broadcasters yesterday if he would do a deal with Sir Ed Davey's party if he failed to win an outright majority, the Opposition leader said he would not answer "hypotheticals".
However, asked a similar question about the SNP the Holborn and St Pancras emphatically ruled out an agreement.
Starmer has said he believes he is on course to win outright after gaining hundreds of councillors and control of 22 local authorities at last week’s elections.
Labour gained hundreds of councillors and control of 22 local authorities at last week’s local elections
PA
But the Lib Dems were also resurgent and projections have put Labour as not yet being in the position to form a majority government without progress among voters.
Asked 11 times by various news outlets yesterday about the chances of a deal between Labour and the Lib Dems, Starmer refused to answer.
"I’m not answering hypotheticals but we’re aiming for a Labour majority and that’s what we’re confident about," he told Sky News.
Later speaking to the BBC about the SNP, Starmer said: "Well, look, I’m going for an outright majority, and I’m often asked, you know, will you do a deal with the SNP, and I’ve been absolutely clear, there are no terms on which we would do a deal with the SNP.
"I want to push on to a Labour majority."
The Lib Dems did not rule out the possibility of a deal when approached for comment about Starmer's remarks.
A spokesman said: “We are totally focused on the issues that really matter to people – the cost-of-living crisis, the failure of this Government to manage our NHS and the filthy sewage water companies are being allowed to pump into our rivers.”
Any deal would likely come with a number of concessions from Labour to the Lib Dems.
It opens the possibility for Davey's party pushing for a Starmer-run Government to restart the process of rejoining the EU's single market.
Last year the party set out a roadmap that it wanted the UK to follow that would eventually lead to Britain rejoining the single market.
The plan was backed by Lib Dem members and its official party policy.
The Lib Dems have not ruled out doing a deal with Labour
PA
The party's Layla Moran said at the time: "For too long, our ties with Europe have been defined by petty squabbling and the Government’s overly ideological approach. British people and small businesses who are tangled in red tape are paying the price and they deserve better.
"It’s time for a different approach.
"The Conservatives’ dogmatic approach has damaged our standing on the world stage, our relationships with our closest neighbours, and our economy.
"The Conservatives are simply incapable of making the choices that will improve people’s lives.
"Liberal Democrats want a way forward which works for Britain - that cuts down red tape, reduces costs for businesses and makes people better off as a result."
She claimed "fine-tuning and tinkering on the edges of our trading relationship with Europe" would not ease current trade frictions and only rejoining the single market would "provide the stability which will boost the British economy".
