Scottish election 2021: Why crime and Brexit are among the SNP's failings
A poll shows that more Scottish voters than not believe the SNP has handled Brexit poorly, but the figures suggest that it is likely dependent on not just how an individual voted in 2016, but also their party vote.
A total of 21 per cent of Leave voters believe the SNP handled Brexit well versus 35 per cent of Remain voters, while 53 per cent of Leave voters and 26 per cent of Remain voters think it has been handled poorly.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdWith pro-Conservative, older voters more likely to have voted for Brexit and younger voters more likely to be angry at any failure by the SNP to prevent Scotland leaving the EU, it is likely it was always a no-win scenario for the First Minister.
On crime, the picture is more nuanced.
This is the worst policy area for the SNP’s approval with women, those most likely to feel unsafe walking the streets, and the continued rise in sexual crime, up 100 per cent since 2010/11, is likely to be a factor.
Overall crime is down since 2010/11, but there has been a steady rise in non-sexual crimes of violence (partly due to the new Domestic Abuse Bill) since Police Scotland was established in 2013.
However, minor crimes such as theft, vandalism or fire-raising are on a downward trend.
It could simply be that no party can do enough to tackle crime, though SNP struggles with the controversial Hate Crime Bill is likely a further factor.
A message from the Editor:
Thank you for reading this article. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by coronavirus impacts our advertisers.
If you haven't already, please consider supporting our trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription.
Comments
Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.