MORE than half of all voters in Scotland will back the SNP at May’s parliamentary elections, according to a new poll.
In the constituency vote the SNP are at 52 per cent, a whole 31 points ahead of Labour on 21 per cent. The Conservatives are on 16 per cent and the Liberal Democrats on seven per cent.
The poll, carried out by Survation for the Daily Record, showed support in the constituency vote drop for Labour. The SNP remained on 42 per cent, while Labour were down two points to 20 per cent. The Tories were up three points to 16 per cent, the Greens were on nine per cent and the Liberal Democrats were on eight per cent. Ukip polled just five per cent. Rise and Solidarity made little if negligible impact on the polling.
According to Weber Shandwick’s Scotland Votes seat predictor, this would result in the SNP winning 70 seats in Holyrood in May. Labour would lose 12 seats to find themselves with 26. While the Tories would add just three to take them to 18. The Greens would have eight seats, and the Liberal Democrats would be down to seven.
People taking part in the poll were also asked on how they rate the SNP’s record in government.
The 1,029 Scottish adults who took part in the poll between January 8 and 12 gave Nicola Sturgeon’s administration a resounding thumbs up, with a positive net satisfaction score in justice, the environment, education, health and transport, and the economy.
The pollster pointed out that the economy, which had the lowest positive score on +16 per cent, was the only area not devolved fully to the Scottish Government.
SNP business manager Derek Mackay said: “This is another very encouraging poll for the SNP – but we never take the support of people in Scotland for granted.
“While Labour and the Tories become increasingly divided and inward-looking, the SNP are determined to build on our strong record in government and to keep Scotland moving with fresh thinking and new ideas.”
A Scottish Labour spokesman said: “We are in no doubt about the scale of the challenge facing us in this election but the choice voters face is becoming clearer than ever.
“Only Scottish Labour would use the new powers to bring an end to failed Tory austerity and give everybody a fair chance in life, no matter their background.
“Despite all their talk, the SNP are content to just manage Tory austerity, passing on massive cuts to local school budgets.”
A Conservative spokesman said: “The Scottish Conservatives want to provide a real Scottish alternative to the SNP at these elections – holding the Scottish Government to account, backing our place in the UK and protecting family pay packets.
“This poll demonstrates that Scotland is in need of a strong opposition to take on the SNP and we intend to provide it.”
Green co-convener Patrick Harvie said: “With our booming membership and first-rate candidates already active in communities the length and breadth of Scotland, we’re relishing the prospect of turning these numbers into more Green MSPs.”
Out of all the party leaders, Sturgeon was the only one to have a net positive rating. On +27 per cent, she was way ahead of Kezia Dugdale (-9 per cent) who was behind Ruth Davidsom (-6 per cent) and Willie Rennie (-7 per cent).
UK leaders Jeremy Corbyn and David Cameron were on -17 per cent and -31 per cent respectively.
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