Sir Keir Starmer to rule out ‘dirty deal’ with Nicola Sturgeon to get into No 10

Sir Keir Starmer is to rule out a coalition with the SNP at the next general election, it has been claimed.

Labour has signalled a more bullish approach towards Nicola Sturgeon's party and has set out to oppose its plans to hold a second referendum on Scottish independence next year.

Sir Keir will reportedly use a motion at Labour's conference in September to step up his pledge not to grant Ms Sturgeon another vote.

The party leader "does not take any persuading" to take a "hardline" view of the issue in the wake of the damage the SNP has done to Labour's electoral fortunes in Scotland.

Labour has stepped up its opposition to the SNP in recent weeks. Anas Sarwar, the Scottish Labour leader, will outline his policy vision on the issue in a speech at the Fabian Society on Monday.

Mr Sarwar has accused Ms Sturgeon of spending "what feels like 24 hours a day" on separatist campaigning and "breaking up our country and dividing our people".

It comes as Conservative attacks intensify about any possible pact, amid speculation Boris Johnson could call an early election as early as this autumn.

Last month, Mr Johnson claimed the main threat to Brexit freedoms would be the "disaster of a Labour-SNP coalition to take us back into the EU".

Matt Hancock, the former health secretary, last week alleged that Sir Keir would make a "dirty deal with Nicola Sturgeon that breaks up the country", because he would not command an outright majority of his own.