Election 2015: Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg rules out coalition with Ukip or SNP

The Liberal Democrats would not enter into a coalition government with either Ukip or the SNP after the general election, Nick Clegg has revealed.

The deputy prime minister said he is "not in the slightest bit interested" with the idea of teaming up with the likes of Nigel Farage or the Scottish nationalists in Westminster.

"As for the other two larger parties, it's for the millions of other people watching this to decide through their vote in the ballot box," Clegg told ITV's Lorraine show.

"There are some people who don't like the fact that I stepped up to the plate and the Liberal Democrats stepped up to the plate to create the coalition."

The comments come ahead of the Liberal Democrat leader announcing his party's "five point plan" for teachers and parents later today.

Clegg, during a visit to a school in Cornwall, will also blast the Tories for "drastic" cuts, which would "slash £5.2bn ($7.7bn) from the education budget; threatening teachers' jobs and teacher training across the UK".

Elsewhere, Nicola Sturgeon will unveil the SNP's general election manifesto with just weeks to go before the 7 May vote.

"Our message on Monday is that if people vote SNP they get SNP – and more importantly they get policies at Westminster on the economy, health, Trident and across all areas that deliver real change and real progress," a senior SNP campaign source said.

"This will be a manifesto for delivery UK-wide, with our alternative to cuts its centrepiece. For perhaps the first time, the SNP have proved our complete relevance to a Westminster general election."

The latest poll from YouGov, conducted between 18 and 19 April, almost puts Labour and the Tories neck-and-neck (35% vs 34%, respectively) as the election looms.

The data means the Liberal Democrats, who are on 8%, or the SNP could be "king makers" after the election.