SCOTLAND could play a “pivotal role” and become centre stage in British politics if Theresa May is returned to power but without the large majority she seeks, Nicola Sturgeon has suggested.

The First Minister also admitted there could be “all sorts of talks” if Jeremy Corbyn were to head the largest party in a hung parliament, stressing again how her party would be open to forming a "progressive alternative to the Tories".

Ms Sturgeon made clear that she was deeply sceptical about whether or not Labour would become the largest party, believing the Tories were still on course for victory despite the narrowing of the polls.

But she noted that if there were a hung parliament, then it would “mean the electorate has decided it does not want either of the two main UK parties to govern with a free hand”.

The First Minister told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “My reading of the polls says that Theresa May and the Tories are still on the track to win this election but they are no longer certain to get a bigger majority in this election and in that scenario Scotland becomes centre stage and, potentially, has a pivotal and decisive role to play because it could be the case that what determines whether or not Theresa May has a bigger majority is the outcome of the election in Scotland and that’s my key message."

She urged voters not to elect Tory MPs to become "rubber stamps" for Mrs May, saying: "Scotland could constrain and keep the Tories in check by making sure we don't throw Theresa May a lifeline."

On the possibility of Labour becoming the largest party, Ms Sturgeon said: “If there was to be a hung parliament, if the parliamentary arithmetic allowed it, then I would want the SNP to be part of a progressive alternative to a Conservative government.

"Not in a coalition; I don't envisage any formal coalitions, but on an issue-by-issue basis to put forward progressive policies and to see a progressive agenda. We see some of the parties in this election, not least Labour, putting forward policies the SNP have already implemented in Scotland."

Defending her party's record in Westminster, the SNP leader said her party had provided the only "effective opposition" to the Conservatives by fighting against benefit cuts and Brexit.

She repeated calls for a second independence referendum, saying the people of Scotland should have a say on the Brexit deal.

"I've said consistently at the end of the process. Spring 2019 is what Theresa May is currently telling us will be the end of the process. I'm not in charge of the Brexit timetable. If that is longer then so too would my thinking about the timing of the choice for Scotland," she added.

In response, David Gauke, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, picked up on the SNP leader's admission of the possibility of "all sorts of talks" if there were a Labour minority government, saying: "This admission from Nicola Sturgeon underlines the very real risk that Jeremy Corbyn could be Prime Minister next Friday, propped up by the SNP and in charge both of Brexit and our economic security."

He went on: “That would be a disaster for ordinary working families, soaked with higher taxes on their income, their savings and even their gardens to pay for Corbyn’s reckless spending promises.

"With the stakes so high, and with the Brexit negotiations starting just 11 days after the election, it is simply not worth taking the risk of waking up to Jeremy Corbyn and his coalition of chaos.”

Also on Today, Kezia Dugdale dismissed the FM’s comments, insisting that Mr Corbyn had ruled out doing any such deal with the SNP.

"He absolutely 100 per cent refuted any prospect of a deal, a coalition or a pact with the SNP for two fundamental reasons.

"One, he doesn't believe that the SNP are a progressive party, so you can't have a progressive alliance with a party, for example, that refuses to tax the rich and ask them to pay their fair share.

"Also, Jeremy Corbyn accepts there is nothing progressive about trying to break up the United Kingdom."

However, the Labour leader has made clear that, given the Scottish Parliament mandated Ms Sturgeon to demand the UK Government facilitate a second independence poll, Westminster should not seek to block it.

Moreover, if there were a minority Labour government, the only practical way it could get its policies through the UK Parliament would be with the support of the Nationalists, if, as people expect, the SNP continues to be the third largest party after June 8.

While Emily Thornberry, the Shadow Foreign Secretary, has insisted a minority Labour government would simply put forward its policies and if parties did not support them, they would have to explain to their constituents why they were threatening the return of a Tory government, Labour, having gained power would not want to let it slip away easily.

There would, therefore, be enormous pressure for Mr Corbyn to do a confidence and supply deal with the SNP. In such a scenario, Ms Sturgeon’s price would almost certainly be that a Labour government facilitates a second independence referendum.

Meantime, Ms Dugdale claimed support for Labour was "edging up" north of the border. She said there was "tangible anger" among voters about the prospect of another Union vote and insisted Labour was clear in its opposition to the idea.