A new poll from TNS predicts a further increase in the landslide SNP majority in the 2016 Holyrood election
ACCORDING to a new TSN poll, support for the SNP has increased to 62 per cent in the constituency section of the ballot for the 2016 Scottish elections, a marked rise of two per cent since TNS’s previous survey.
The poll surveyed a total of 1,062 people in Scotland over the age of 16.
It revealed that the SNP, at 62 per cent, were ahead of Labour on an unchanged 20 per cent, the Scottish Conservatives on 12 per cent and the Liberal Democrats on three per cent. Both the Scottish Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats were down two points.
The party’s regional support has increased in accordance with this trend, with the SNP up three points on 54 per cent. Labour is down one on the regional list vote at 20 per cent, the Scottish Conservatives are down one on 12 per cent, the Scottish Green Party is up one on eight per cent and the Liberal Democrats are down one on four per cent.
On matters surrounding the economy, 25 per cent of respondents rated the SNP good, while 24 per cent rated it poor and 45 per cent neither. With regards to the NHS, 34 per cent of respondents rated it good, 29 per cent poor and 33 per cent neither. On education, 30 per cent rated it good, 19 per cent poor and 40 per cent neither. And on the criminal justice system, 23 per cent good, 19 per cent poor and 40 per cent neither.
Tom Costley, Head of TNS Scotland, was quoted in the Herald stating: “This poll suggests that the opposition parties may find voters ready to listen to their alternative policies, although with Labour still engaged in leadership elections at Scottish and UK level, the SNP’s chief rival in Scotland is not yet ready to present a programme to the electorate.
“The SNP’s position may be largely due to the positive mood surrounding its strong performance in the referendum and general election. But there has been extensive media reporting of problems on devolved issues, especially in the NHS and around the new unified Police Scotland.
“The SNP now has an opportunity to build the case for its record in government before the Holyrood election campaign gets properly under way towards the end of this year.”
Picture courtesy of Tom Parnell