SNP MAINTAINS “EXTRAORDINARY” POLL LEAD AS VOTERS BACK SALMOND GOVERNMENT

SNP MAINTAINS “EXTRAORDINARY” POLL LEAD AS VOTERS BACK SALMOND GOVERNMENT

OVER HALF WAY THROUGH TERM 40% BACK SNP

WESTMINSTER “ALL TO PLAY FOR” AS HALF SCOTS STILL TO DECIDE

The SNP today hailed a new opinion poll from TNS, published in the Herald which shows the SNP leading Labour by 10 seats at the next Holyrood election.

The extraordinary results, for a party over half way through its first term in office show the SNP at 40% on the constituency vote, 8 points above Labour and 7 points above the party’s electoral high point in the 2007 elections.

The poll of 980 people conducted between the 27^th October and 3^rd November shows the SNP at 40% with Labour on 32%, Tories on 13% and Lib Dems on 11. With the SNP also maintaining an 8 point lead on the regional vote at 37% to Labour’s 29%.

If the election was to be held tomorrow these results would give the SNP 54 seats in Holyrood, an increase of 7 including 37 constituency seats – up 16 from 21 in 2007, while Labour fall to a total of 44 seats.

At Westminster the SNP is well ahead of our 2005 position as the poll shows it is all to play for with 43% of Scots voters in the don’t know or undecided categories.

Commenting on the results SNP Business Convener Angus Robertson MP said:

“These are extraordinary results for the SNP at Holyrood with 40% of the Scottish public backing the party after two years in Government. That is a significant number and shows Alex Salmond’s SNP Scottish Government continues to win support more than half way through our first term.

“This poll shows the SNP making considerable headway in the constituency vote across Scotland, winning 16 additional first past the post seats whilst increasing our share of support on the regional vote.

“Labour has failed to make any impact in Holyrood over the last two and a half years while the SNP has worked toward the priorities of the people of Scotland - putting more police on the streets, investing in jobs and training, keeping our health service public and backing Scottish businesses as we work toward economic recovery.

“These are difficult times and we have had to take some tough decisions as a Government to deal with the economic realities we all face. This poll shows that we have done so with the support of the people of Scotland and as we move toward a referendum on independence voters across the country are increasingly turning to the only party offering them the right to have their say on Scotland’s future.”

“With the Westminster election all to play for as half of Scots refuse to back Labour and wait to make up their minds the SNP will be out across the country from now to polling day working hard to ensure there is a strong Scottish block of SNP MPs to give Scotland a louder and stronger voice at Westminster."

Results as follows (change from 07/05)

TNS - BMRB (formerly TNS/System 3) poll, published in The Herald of 980 people between the 27th October and 3rd November.

Holyrood - Constituency

SNP 40% (+7)

Lab 32 % (-)

Con 13 % (-3)

LD 11 % (-5)

Oth 5 % (N/A)

Regional

SNP 37 % (+6)

Lab 29 % (-)

Con 12 % (-2)

LD 12 % (+1)

Green 4% (-)

Oth 6 %

Weber Shandwick – Scotland votes seat projection

SNP 54 seats, Labour 44, Con 15, LD 14, Gn 2

Westminster

Lab 39% (-)

SNP 25% (+ 7)

Con 18% (+2)

Lib 12% (-11)

Undecided or Don’t Know came to 43% of the overall sample.