Labour ‘continues to trail SNP in Scotland’

Nicola Sturgeon with SNP candidate for East Dunbartonshire John Nicolson. Picture: Hemedia

SUPPORT for Labour continues to trail behind the SNP in Scotland, a new opinion poll has indicated.

Research by YouGov for the Scottish Sun suggested 46 per cent of voters north of the border could back Nicola Sturgeon’s party in the May 7 election, with 29 per cent planning on voting Labour.

That could see the nationalists, who won six seats in the House of Commons in 2010, return 47 MPs this time around, with Labour losing all but 10 of the 41 Scottish constituencies it secured in in the last general election.

Meanwhile the research, which saw 1,864 voters north of the border questioned, put support for the Conservatives on 16 per cent with the Liberal Democrats backed by just 3 per cent.

Dogs backing the SNP pictured at a rally against Trident. Picture: Getty

The poll also suggested marginally more Scots would prefer to see David Cameron as prime minister than want Labour’s Ed Miliband in power at Number 10.

The research was carried out between March 26 and March 31, before the TV debate with all seven parties leaders took place.

When asked who would make the best prime minister, 25 per cent of those questioned opted for the Conservative leader, ahead of 24 per cent for Mr Miliband, with 4 per cent preferring Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg. Almost half (47 per cent) of Scots said they did not know who would perform best in the role.

SNP campaign director Angus Robertson said: “This poll is another welcome indication of the strong support for the SNP across the country, as people continue to respond positively to the SNP’s message of delivering investment in jobs and growth in place of Westminster’s mindless commitment to cuts.

Ed Balls pictured during his speech in Leeds. Picture: PA

“This poll confirms the SNP’s momentum in our campaign to provide a strong voice for Scotland in a hung parliament at Westminster - and predates Nicola Sturgeon’s brilliant performance in the leaders’ debate, and the Westminster establishment’s failed dirty tricks against Nicola.

“However, while the result is very welcome we are taking absolutely nothing for granted and will continue to work hard to keep winning the trust of people in Scotland.

“More anti-Tory MPs than Tory MPs at the election means that we can lock David Cameron out of Downing Street.

“And electing a strong team of SNP MPs will also ensure that Scotland has real power at Westminster to ensure that Scottish interests are served - and progressive politics delivered across the UK.”

Shadow chancellor Ed Balls, speaking at a campaign event in Leeds, said that a strong SNP showing was not in the interests of voters in either Scotland or England.

“The SNP is a party which seeks to break up the United Kingdom. They are not a party which is going to want to pursue the interests of working people in Plymouth or London or Manchester or here in Leeds,” he said.

The SNP would actually extend Tory austerity. Fiscal autonomy - which is what the SNP called for - would mean that they would have to deliver over £7 billion deeper spending cuts or tax rises in Scotland than under the Tory plans.

“The SNP getting in in Scotland will allow the Tories to get in in Westminster.”

Labour ‘continues to trail SNP in Scotland’ - poll