Alex Salmond has urged Scots to reject UK-wide parties in the forthcoming general election.

The SNP leader told his party's spring conference in Aviemore that he hoped to win 20 seats, and urged voters to elect local champions instead of choosing the "metropolitan" UK parties.

The party currently has seven seats, and UK polls suggest a close battle between Labour and the Tories - with a hung parliament a real possibility.

In his speech on Saturday afternoon, Mr Salmond said: "Labour or Tory, Tory or Labour - their agenda is the same. They are both cut from the same cloth; part of the same system. A metropolitan machine that has let us down.

"The debate between Labour and Tory is a phoney war - the extent of the debate is whether the big cuts programme which they share should start this year or next."

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• Watch Alex Salmond's speech to his party's spring conference

If a hung parliament were the result of the election Mr Salmond believes that, the more Nationalists elected, the stronger Scotland's voice will be in resisting budget cuts. He said the party would fight for key concessions from Westminster, including the extension of high-speed rail to Scotland and financial compensation for money spent on the London Olympics.

He believes Scotland could reap the benefits if no one party wins overall control of the House of Commons in the poll. It has been suggested that the party may work with Plaid Cymru, the Welsh nationalist party, and that both will set out the areas where they hope gains could be made. Both could potentially end up as power-brokers if a coalition is needed.

"With the people of Scotland, the power of Scotland behind us, there is much we can achieve," said Mr Salmond. "A balanced parliament may be a difficulty for Westminster but presents real opportunity for our nation.

"We can champion the issues that matter and secure key concessions for our nation - the release of the near-£200 million fossil-fuel levy fund, money that is sitting, idle in an Ofgem bank account; fair connection charges for our generators - a crucial issue if we are to capitalise on our vast energy resources.

"A commitment to Scotland being part of the first phase of the high-speed rail network. London to Birmingham is nowhere near Scotland, and nowhere near good enough. And a guarantee that there will be no further budget cuts this year - new cuts that Scotland's local authorities tell us would be catastrophic.

"If Westminster is balanced on Scottish and Welsh votes these things and more can be secured. These things and more can be achieved. In 10 days' time, along with our allies in Plaid Cymru, we will be announcing our full platform. It is an alternative programme which will stand in contrast to Labour and Tory."

Independence moves

The SNP leader reiterated his party's commitment to independence, saying he would take forward plans for a referendum.

"A clear majority in this country want our parliament to take on more responsibility, to have the ability to grow our economy," he said. "To do more to support those in greatest need. The opportunity to invest our vast energy wealth in the future success of our nation.

"And these things – all these things – are within our reach. The other parties are running scared of the voice of the people. But we say, the people must be heard. And have no doubt, the people will choose our stronger, fairer, more prosperous Scotland."

Mr Salmond made a £15m commitment to fund 4,000 extra college places, with the money targeted at those from the most deprived areas. A further £12m was committed to helping develop marine and tidal energy.

In his speech, Mr Salmond also paid tribute to the party's former leader, Billy Wolfe, who died on Thursday. Activists observed a minute's silence for a man who helped the party win 11 seats in the 1974 Westminster election.

Mr Salmond said: "The pundits say we can't win 20 seats. Of course we can and the reason we are in that position is that we are building on the shoulders of giants like Billy Wolfe."