SCOTTISH Labour splitting from their UK bosses would make no difference to their vote share, a new poll has suggested.
A survey commissioned by the Just For Scotland group – which campaigns within Scottish Labour for a break from the UK party – found that while 25% of voters said they would be “more likely” to back an independent Scots party, 24% would be “less likely”. The remaining 51% said they did not know how it would affect their vote.
Just For Scotland also asked voters if they would consider supporting a “Scotland-only” Labour party that was “progressive”, pro-EU, and pro-devolution.
Polling subsamples showed that just 39% of Scottish Labour voters said they would support such a party, while 41% said they would not do so.
The idea was received more favourably by voters who backed the pro-independence SNP or Greens. In total, 74% of SNP voters and 72% of Green voters said they might consider backing such a party.
Just For Scotland said that the Find Out Now polling showed that, in total, 39% of people said they would consider backing an independent Scottish Labour party.
The campaign’s call for a split from their UK Labour bosses has been growing since Anas Sarwar led his Scottish group to their second consecutive worst-ever Holyrood election result under his leadership, continuing a trend of decline for the party.
Jack McConnel – who stood for Scottish Labour in the 2026 elections but failed to win a seat – is leading the Just For Scotland campaign and has claimed it is approaching "three figures" of active supporters.
McConnel said: "Only a total break from UK Labour, ideally with a name change, will convince voters that our party is firmly on Scotland's side.
"Our party will be extinct by the end of next decade on our average loss of 6.5 seats in every Scottish Parliament election.”
He added: "Just For Scotland is calling on the Scottish Executive Committee to seriously explore these models, and will share our upcoming paper with them.
“Just For Scotland is approaching three figures of supporters, is cohering a core group of organisers, and is here to stay."
However, Scottish Labour MP Euan Stainbank said that although he had “followed this proposal with an open mind … everything suggests it is not a credible solution”.
“If I’m reading this polling right, 41% of our voters wouldn't support this and I don't know how this helps us stand up for Scotland by reducing Scottish Labour MPs’ relevance,” he added.
