THE Scottish National Party has launched its manifesto today, but it is also warning that if it gains the balance of power in a coalition with Labour, it could insist on changes to the HS2 project so that construction starts from Scotland rather than between London and Birmingham.
The latest polls in Scotland suggest that the SNP is likely to gain Labour seats north of the border, and that a Lab-SNP coalition at Westminster is a possibility after the election if the Conservatives lose ground.
Labour would then rely on the support of the SNP to govern the United Kingdom, but it is unlikely to be a free ride.
Speaking to Sky News, SNP deputy leader Stewart Hosie said: "If the polls are right and our substantial lead is translated into votes in a hung parliament position, if there was a minority Labour administration which needed our help in order to get their legislation through, we might well make a case for saying look, let's not have HS2 go to Manchester and Birmingham, let’s have it start in Edinburgh, Glasgow, coming through Newcastle as well, so we have a joined up high-speed rail network across the whole of the island, to the benefit of everybody, not just those travelling from Birmingham to the South."
The SNP is also supporting public sector bids in future competitions for passenger rail franchises.
The only parties to have ruled out HS2 entirely, at least in its present form, are the Green Party and UKIP. The Conservatives, Labour and the Liberal Democrats all support the project, although Labour has warned that there will be no 'blank cheques'. Plaid Cymru has called for additional Welsh transport funding of £4 billion as a 'dividend' to compensate for expenditure on a high speed line in England.