THE SNP has seen a popularity bounce after Humza Yousaf took over as leader, fresh polling has revealed.
A subsample from research by Polling People for GB News suggested the SNP could take 48% of the vote in a Westminster election, among voters who picked a preferred party.
This was the highest among any of the parties in Scotland, with Labour at 20%, the Tories at 14% and the LibDems at 9%, among voters who stated a preference.
The SNP’s rating in the latest poll, carried out on Yousaf’s first full day as First Minister, was up from research carried out on March 22 this year, which predicted 44% of Scottish voters would back the party.
In the UK as a whole, Labour enjoyed a comfortable 18-point lead over the Conservatives, with 42% of decided voters saying they would back Keir Starmer’s party. Including undecideds, this fell to 34% - with the Tories on just 18%.
But polling expert Sir John Curtice last week warned Labour against being over-optimistic about their chances in the next General Election – saying the first-past-the-post voting system meant they were unlikely to be in a 1997-style landslide.
The SNP’s result was high given the divisions in the party opened up by the turbulent leadership election, which felled two major figures in the party hierarchy.
SNP MSP Rona Mackay said: "It is hugely welcome to see strong support for the SNP and our progressive vision for Scotland's future.
"From being dragged out of the EU with a Brexit we didn’t vote for, to shouldering the consequences of a revolving door of incompetent Tory prime ministers – who we also didn’t vote for – Scotland is tired of being ignored and undermined by Westminster parties who do not speak for us.
"Scotland is a country with abundant natural resources, thriving economy and a talented population who deserve better than the damaging choice of two pro-Brexit parties that you couldn't fit a cigarette paper between - voting SNP is the only way to get rid of Tory governments for good."
It comes as the SNP face the prospect of a by-election in Margaret Ferrier’s seat Rutherglen and Hamilton West.
The disgraced MP, who has sat as an independent since she was admitted to breaking Covid rules, could be recalled by her constituents if a petition to oust her garners enough support.
Ferrier has the chance to appeal a recent decision by Westminster’s standards watchdog which recommended she be suspended from parliament for 30 days.
