By G.A.Ponsonby 
A new poll out today has revealed the extent of Labour’s problems in Scotland as it emerged the party has sunk to its lowest ever rating.
The survey, carried out by Ipsos Mori, shows Johann Lamont’s party now trail the SNP by a stunning 26 per cent.
By G.A.Ponsonby
A new poll out today has revealed the extent of Labour’s problems in Scotland as it emerged the party has sunk to its lowest ever rating.
The survey, carried out by Ipsos Mori, shows Johann Lamont’s party now trail the SNP by a stunning 26 per cent.
The Ipsos Mori poll shows that 49 per cent of voters would vote SNP in a Scottish general election.
In contrast, Labour would be backed by just 23 per cent of voters, their lowest ever recorded poll rating. The figures would provide the SNP with their biggest ever lead over their main rivals.
If held tomorrow, a Scottish election would see Labour’s new Scottish leader Johann Lamont losing her constituency seat along with her predecessor Iain Gray.
The figures would see Labour losing eight seats in all and would result in the party retaining just one constituency MSP.
SNP Campaign Director Angus Robertson MP said:
“This is a very welcome poll, which gives the SNP our biggest ever recorded opinion poll lead. It is an enormous vote of confidence by voters in the work and the record of the SNP Scottish Government and the First Minister.
“These figures would see the SNP win 73 seats in the Scottish Parliament, while the other parties would be reduced to a rump.
“It is abundantly clear that Scots voters believe that the actions of the SNP Scottish government are the right ones. We are providing help for households in tough times through our social wage, supporting vital public services in the face of severe Westminster cuts, and we will ensure that the Scottish people are able to choose their own and their nation’s future in a referendum on Scottish Independence.
“In contrast, the unrelenting negativity of the Labour Party sees them fall to their lowest ever poll rating, which would reduce them to a single, solitary constituency in the Scottish Parliament. Scots voters obviously do not look kindly on the Labour/Tory pact to block Scotland’s right to self-determination.”
The poll also shows that 58 per cent of Scots are satisfied with the performance of First Minister Alex Salmond, giving him a positive poll rating of +22. The other Scottish party leaders along with UK Prime Minister David Cameron, in contrast, all score negative satisfaction ratings with Scottish voters.
Mr Robertson described the First Minister’s approval rating as “superb” and added:
“These are also superb ratings for the First Minister – any leader in Western Europe, never mind these islands, would give their eye teeth to have satisfaction ratings of plus 58 per cent, with a net positive rating of plus 22 per cent.
“David Cameron, by contrast, is minus 28 per cent. Incredibly, Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg are even less popular in Scotland than the Prime Minister, and the opposition leaders at Holyrood are unknown. It is another powerful indication that voters continue to back the Scottish Government’s record, team and vision for Scotland.”
The poll is worrying for Scottish Labour coming as it does only weeks after the unveiling of Johann Lamont as new leader.
The party has struggled to come to terms with Scotland’s new political landscape and some observers have suggested the negative style of opposition, and the party’s constitutional alliance with the UK Conservatives, is making it unattractive to Scottish voters.
The poll showed some improvement for the Liberal Democrats who would gain six seats if the results were repeated in a Holyrood election. The Greens however would lose one seat along with the Scottish Conservatives.
Ipsos Mori polled 1,005 respondents, the results are:
SNP: 49%
Lab: 23%
Con: 13%
Lib: 10%
Gre: 3%
SSP: 1%
Ind: 1%
The projected Holyrood seats based on the poll is (Difference from 2011 in brackets):
SNP: 73 (+4)
Lab: 29 (-8)
Lib D: 11 (+6)
Con: 14 (-1)
Gre: 1 (-1)
Ind: 1