General elections in Scotland have been notoriously noncompetitive affairs since the 1970s. One party – first Labour and then the SNP – has typically won large landslides. In 2015, when most seats changed hands, the SNP wave was unstoppable.
But this time, it’s much more of a two-party contest. While Labour have mostly led in the polls, they’ve hardly dominated them as they have in England. In the nine Scottish polls carried out since the election was called, Labour have led the SNP 35% to 31%.
Dissatisfaction with politics in both Edinburgh and London is a boon for Scottish Labour. Both governments have been bedevilled by problems with public services – in Scotland particularly, NHS waiting times and falling educational outcomes – and revelations of corruption and scandal.
