SNP record less favourable under Yousaf but caution over Labour’s readiness to govern

The SNP government’s domestic record is less favourable with the public since Humza Yousaf took over and less than one third think his administration should be re-elected, a poll has found.

Half of Scots believe the SNP government is doing a bad job on key domestic policy areas while attitudes have worsened under Humza Yousaf’s leadership, a poll has suggested.

The research has found that only one third of Scots believe Labour is ready to form the next Scottish Government and less than half think the party is prepared to enter Downing Street, despite a majority wanting a change in leadership.

The study from Ipsos interviewed 1,040 people aged 16 and older in Scotland about their hunger for a change in government at both Westminster and Holyrood.

Around one third of Scots believe Humza Yousaf's government deserves to be re-elected (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/pool/Getty Images)

According to the poll, around half think the Scottish Government is doing a bad job on improving the NHS, improving living standards for people on low incomes and improving education in Scotland. But the research has found that favourability has worsened since Humza Yousaf took over a year ago.

In a worrying gauge of opinion for the SNP, only 32 per cent believe Mr Yousaf’s Scottish Government deserves to be re-elected and only 28 per cent agree that the word “competent” is an accurate description of the current administration. But only 32 per cent of those asked think Labour would do a better job of improving the NHS in Scotland and 19 per cent think they would do a worse job.

The poll found that 87 per cent of Scots agree that the UK needs a fresh team of leaders while 68 per cent of Scots disagree that the Conservative UK government deserves to be re-elected at the upcoming general election.

But only 45 per cent of Scots believe that Labour is ready to form the next government at Westminster, while 40 per cent of those who want a fresh team of leaders believe Labour is the party to deliver that.

A poll has suggested voters remain unconvinced Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar is ready to form the next government at Holyrood (Picture by Jane Barlow/PA Wire)

Despite 70 per cent of people wanting a change in government at Holyrood, voters are split on whether Labour is ready to fill the gap - with around a third believing Anas Sarwar’s team is ready, a third disagree and a third are unsure. Fewer Scots agree that Labour is ready to form the next Scottish Government (34 per cent) than agree they are ready to form the next UK government (45 per cent).

Rachel Ormston, research director at Ipsos in Scotland, said: “These findings show very clear support among the Scottish public for a change of political leadership in Britain – if anything, the sense that it is time for a change is even stronger here than across Britain as a whole. However, it is less clear that the public are convinced Labour represents that change.

“The finding that just a third of the Scottish public think the Scottish Government deserves to be re-elected will not make happy reading for the SNP, with criticism of their record on the NHS, for people on low incomes, and on education.

“At the same time, the fact the public are divided on whether Labour can make a real positive difference means it is not yet certain Labour can rely on maximising their electoral advantage from this appetite for change at the Scottish ballot box.”