THE prospect of the Conservatives holding power at Westminster for years has been highlighted in a poll giving them a 16-point lead over Labour – the highest in seven years.

If replicated in a general election it would give Theresa May’s party an increased majority in the Commons over a Labour Party in turmoil.

Some 43 per cent of voters said they would back the Conservatives, while support for Labour was 27 per cent, according to the survey carried out by ICM Unlimited across the UK.

Such a lead in the ICM series of snapshots has not been seen since October 2009, with the Tories increasing their support by four points since the last survey was published, while Labour support fell by two points.

Angus Robertson, the SNP’s leader at Westminster, said the ICM poll underlined the democratic deficit Scotland faces at Westminster and argued many Scots would conclude that independence was the best way forward.

Scotland has just one Conservative MP, David Mundell.

“This poll highlights the deep and growing democratic deficit that Scotland faces at Westminster,” he said.

“It is yet another worrying sign that Scotland could continue to be ruled by increasingly right-wing Tory governments against our will for the foreseeable future.”

He pointed to a series of policies pursued by the Conservative Government including the decision to call the EU referendum, the vote to renew the Trident nuclear weapons system and the pursuit of welfare cuts, which he said, showed a growing divergence between Westminster and Scotland.

“We have seen the devastating impact the Tories have had over the past six years. Despite having no mandate in Scotland they have imposed austerity and deep welfare cuts, they have sought to drag us out of the EU, and they are intent on dumping Trident nuclear weapons on the Clyde at a cost of billions – all against Scotland’s clear wishes,” he said.

“The SNP will continue to stand up for Scotland’s interests, but as Scotland’s progressive politics continue to diverge from the Tory-dominated politics of Westminster people will increasingly conclude that independence is the only way to ensure Scotland always gets the governments and policies that it votes for.”

It has been calculated that if the poll were reflected at the next general election, then the Tories would see an increase in seats of 45 to 376 while Labour would see a fall of 44 to just 188. May’s nominal majority of 12 would jump up to around 100.

The increased lead suggests a May bounce less than two weeks after she took over as Prime Minister from David Cameron and despite the concerns about the Brexit process.

But it could also reflect growing public disaffection with the bitter recriminations continuing to plague Labour.

The ICM poll was carried out between July 22 and 24 and questioned 2012 voters. It also placed Ukip on 13 per cent, the Lib Dems on eight, the SNP unchanged on four and the Greens also on four.

The ICM poll of general election voting intentions shows that in Scotland support for the SNP remains strong at 48 per cent, with Labour on 22 per cent, the Conservatives on 20 per cent, and the Lib Dems on 5 per cent.

But despite support for Labour being ahead of the Tories in Scotland, the poll suggested the party’s recovery north of the Border was a distant prospect with Scots voters believing that both Nicola Sturgeon and Ruth Davidson were doing better than Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale.