05 September 2006

Good news for Scottish Labour?

Well, at least, it will provide the First Minister with a breathing space. The Herald reports:
"Eight months from the third Holyrood election, the trend emerging from the past three months of surveying by TNS System Three is that Labour is retaining a clear lead over the SNP with the constituency vote, on which all but four Labour MSPs depend. Last month, Labour was found to be on 36% of first-vote intentions, the SNP on 28%, LibDems up three from the July poll to 17% and Tories on 12%. The SNP has nearly closed the gap on the second vote - 28% to 27% - but Labour has only had need of that in the Highlands and north-east. The poll also shows a strong second-vote showing for the LibDems on 19%, and Greens on 8%, while there is little sign of Tory progress on either count."

A rogue poll? Well, maybe: it is certainly out of line with other reports, including those of the Labour Party's own private polling. But Labour MSPs are in a mood to be thankful for small mercies.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

it doesn't seem to be a rogue poll as if you read the coverage in The Herald it was 3 polls of 1000 people over 3 months showing the same kind of figures. There is a lot of discontent within SNP ranks at 'independence lite' that was kept quiet by the beleif that we were ahead in the polls - not now its not!