Westminster and Holyrood poll puts Labour ahead of SNP

Published on Monday 8 February 2010 14:40

LABOUR today welcomed a poll which put the party ahead of its SNP rivals at both Holyrood and Westminster.

It is the first time since the Nationalists' success in the Scottish Parliament elections in May 2007 that pollster TNS-BMRB has put Labour in front in terms of Holyrood voting intentions.

The latest survey puts support for Labour in the Holyrood constituency vote at 37%, up from 32% in a similar poll in October last year, while SNP support fell from 40% to 35%.

TNS-BMRB questioned 1,000 adults between January 27 and February 4.

The results put the Tories on 13% overall and the Liberal Democrats on 12% overall.

For a Holyrood regional vote 37% backed Labour, up from 29% in October last year, and 30% backed the SNP, down from 37% in October. Only 12% said they would vote either Tory or Lib Dem and 5% backed the Scottish Green Party.

For a general election 42% backed Labour and 26% supported the SNP, up from 25% in October last year but down from 31% in a poll in April 2008.

The Conservatives came in third on 18% and the Lib Dems were at 11%.

A Labour spokesman said: "It is good to see another poll where Labour is moving ahead of the SNP, even before the current cash-for-access scandal.

"Labour has maintained a considerable lead over the SNP for Westminster, where it is a straight Labour versus Tory fight.

"To see a similar lead emerging at Holyrood is very welcome.

"People are increasingly disillusioned with the SNP now. They're not doing enough to get us out of recession and for breaking virtually all of their promises.

"Iain Gray's leadership at Holyrood has showcased Labour as the party of ideas, with new vision on jobs, schools, hospitals and policing."

SNP Westminster leader Angus Robertson said: "The poll shows SNP support up two points since our Scottish Parliament election win in 2007, and up eight points since the last general election.

"That puts us in our strongest ever position going into a general election, and there is a real opportunity for voters to reject the failed Westminster parties and elect local SNP champions who will put the needs

of their constituency and Scotland first."