Jeremy Corbyn said he last spoke to Ms Sturgeon around 10 days ago, insisting as leaders they had to speak regularly.

Jeremy Corbyn is ready to 'throw the UK under a bus' by forming a coalition with the SNP that would break up Britain, Michael Gove has warned. He said that Labour and the SNP were now 'in bed together'.

Boris Johnson said the 2014 ballot - when Scots voted to stay in the union - was a 'once in a generation' decision.

Ian Blackford said today the SNP will draw up a 'wish list' of demands ahead of potential post-election cooperation talks with Labour as he hinted scrapping Trident could be one of the party's red lines.

Jeremy Corbyn caused confusion on a visit to Glasgow by declaring that there would be no ballot on splitting the UK before the next election.

Jeremy Corbyn made yet another attempt to clarify his stance on a Scottish independence referendum today, saying: 'Certainly not in the first two years.'

The Labour leader said he wanted to add 'realism' to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NNPT), with discussions about 'every country's nuclear weapons'.

Mr Johnson has poured cold water on the idea of sharing a stage with Ms Sturgeon, because he is only prepared 'to contest the debates with whoever theoretically could be Prime Minister.'

Nicola Sturgeon tonight claimed Jeremy Corbyn would be willing to sacrifice the Union of the United Kingdom if that was the price of taking power after the election.

Nicola Sturgeon today confirmed she would demand the UK's Trident nuclear deterrent be scrapped as the price of SNP support for a minority Labour government led by Jeremy Corbyn.

Labour's leader in Scotland, Richard Leonard, today suggested that if would only require 'the election of parties into a majority' to provide a mandate.

Lord Kerslake said the Labour party would 'need to have conversations' with the Liberal Democrats and SNP if the election produces a hung parliament. Labour played down the comments.

Boris Johnson today claimed Jeremy Corbyn is not 'tough enough' to stand up to Nicola Sturgeon and reject her demands for a second Scottish independence referendum.

The PM even suggested that his Labour rival may throw his weight behind the separatist campaign, and questioned the left-winger's commitment to keeping the United Kingdom glued together.

John Nicholson, the candidate for the marginal seat of Ochil and South Perthshire, tried to rally supporters with a tub-thumping speech ahead of the tightly-fought ballot on December 12.

Nicola Sturgeon today demanded £4 billion in extra funding for the NHS in Scotland as her latest price for supporting a minority Labour government.

Nicola Sturgeon's plans for an independent Scotland suffered a hammer blow today after a leading think tank warned splitting from the UK would mean 'more not less austerity' north of the border.

Teenage psychopath Aaron Campbell, who raped and murdered six-year-old Alesha MacPhail on the Isle of Bute, was subject to the SNP's Named Person scheme, a secret report reveals.

The Liberal Democrats lost the East Dunbartonshire seat to the SNP's Amy Callaghan by just 149 votes. Nicola Sturgeon was filmed shaking her fists with joy at the news of her party's gain.

STEPHEN DAISLEY: Nicola Sturgeon's party went from 35 seats to 48, halving the Scottish Tory MP group and taking Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson's seat of East Dunbartonshire.

SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon teed up a pitch battle for the future of the UK claiming Boris Johnson will be 'subverting democracy' by refusing a ballot.

ANDREW PIERCE: Ian Blackford, the SNP leader in Parliament, who comfortably retained his Highlands seat, is non-executive chairman of internet provider Commsworld.

The SNP won 35 seats in 2017 but managed to secure 12 more at the general election last week - a surge which has bolstered Ms Sturgeon's calls for a second breakaway ballot.

SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon said she had won overwhelming support north of the border in the election last week - and the PM had no right to block a new bid to break up the UK.

Heather Anderson took up her seat on Tuesday to replace Alyn Smith, who had served as an MEP for 15 years but had to step down after being elected MP for Stirling in the recent general election.

The vote was driven by the SNP First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who insisted a second vote on independence is necessary to protect the country from the consequences of Brexit.

The Labour leadership challenger made the comment at a hustings event last week and provoked fury from the party as she labelled its members 'Tories wrapped up in nationalist clothing'.

The First Minister said that the Prime Minister's decision to block a new vote was 'a sign of weakness' as she continued to build her case the break up the UK.

Kate Forbes only found out that she would announce the Scottish Government's spending pledges for the coming year at around 8am today - just after Derek Mackay resigned in disgrace.

Salmond faces 14 charges of alleged offences against 10 women, all of which he denies.

Alex Salmond is tipped to make a dramatic SNP leadership comeback bid after he was cleared of sex assault charges this week. He could be deputy to MP Joanna Cherry, who led a bid to block Brexit last year.

Former deputy leader of the SNP Jim Sillars, 82, has said that the allegations against against Mr Salmond were the 'dirtiest blow' he has ever seen delivered in his 60 years of political life.

Alex Wilson had his account targeted by his devastated wife Pamela, who said he had left her to be with fellow SNP councillor Mandy Morgan. Pictured: Mr and Mrs Wilson.

MSP for Renfrewshire North and West Derek Mackay is entitled to a =n automatic severance payment of £11,945 for losing ministerial office.

OLIVER HOLT - CHIEF SPORTS WRITER IN NICE: From his table at a restaurant on the Promenade des Anglais, Phil Neville stares out at the shimmering waters of the Mediterranean.

Goncalo Guedes's second half strike proved the difference as Portugal saw off Holland 1-0 in Porto to become the inaugural winners of the UEFA Nations League.

Wales manager Ryan Giggs faces a dressing-room rebellion as his side struggles to qualify for Euro 2020. Defeats by Croatia and Hungary have left Wales fourth of five teams in Group E.

Ex-Liverpool star Sakho, 29, was suspended from football in 2016 after testing positive for a fat-burning substance. But it later emerged that the substance was not on the banned list.

Michael O'Neill warned the real tests begin now as his Northern Ireland squad prepare to face Germany in Monday's crunch Euro 2020 qualifier.

TOM COLLOMOSSE IN TRNAVA: Former lifeguard Kieffer Moore kept Wales' Euro 2020 qualification hopes afloat with a goal on his competitive debut to earn Ryan Giggs' team a vital point.

Georginio Wijnaldum admits Holland's recent absence from major tournaments has been 'painful' as they look set to end that exodus at Euro 2020 next summer.

Cristiano Ronaldo took his goal-scoring career tally to an incredible 700 after netting in Portugal's 2-1 defeat against Ukraine. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner confidently slotted away a penalty.

SAMI MOKBEL: It's the size of the challenge that galvanises Raheem Sterling - nothing else. That's why the natural next step in his career is to join one of the Spanish giants - Barcelona or Real Madrid.

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has threatened to switch his international allegiance after not being called up to the French squad again.

TOM COLLOMOSSE IN CARDIFF: Aaron Ramsey is determined to help Wales eclipse their memorable Euro 2016 campaign after scoring twice to send them to next year's Finals.

Arda Turan was once one of Turkey's best players and earned big moves to Atletico Madrid and then Barcelona. But, at 32, his career now lies in ruins following astonishing off-field incidents.

Singers Kelli Marie Willis, Jess Folley, Luena Martinez, Seorsia Leagh Jack, Virginia Hampson and Halle Williams landed a final spot in the group following Wednesday's arena auditions.

The singer, 41, broke down after watching Kelli Marie's rendition of an original song about feeling alone, and tearfully vowed that the teen 'wasn't alone anymore.'

Viewers took to Twitter to praise the singer, 34, for her 'fearless' judging style as they demanded she should join the panel permanently.

Danny Tetley (pictured), from Bradford, West Yorkshire, pleaded guilty to getting his victims, many as young as 14, to send him explicit images of themselves.