Scottish Greens see poll numbers double amid more polling woes for Labour
THE SCOTTISH GREENS have seen their polling numbers doubled since the last Holyrood election which has them reaching in touching distance of Scottish Labour.
Ahead of May’s local elections across Scotland the poll conducted by YouGov has shown the party on 12 per cent in the regional vote and closing the gap on Labour for third place, who are now down to 14 per cent.
The numbers if replicated in a new Holyrood election would result in 11 Green MSPs being returned to the chamber an increase from the current crop of six from last May’s election.
The Labour party in Scotland has suffered from a series of poor showings in surveys with its vote averaging from 15 per cent to 18 per cent.
“ Whilst Labour walked away empty handed. This polling certainly explains their recent hysterics.” Ross Greer
West of Scotland MSP, Ross Greer said: “The Green MSPs are proving that it’s possible to be an effective and constructive opposition, most recently by securing £160m for local councils whilst Labour walked away empty handed. This polling certainly explains their recent hysterics. Voters in Scotland don’t want blanket opposition or unquestioning support for everything the government does, they want us to get results and to rise about the Punch and Judy theatrics.”
The poll’s significance comes from the fact that previously, Labour was set to come third behind the Tories in the council elections according to the leading polling expert Professor John Curtice who predicted that the party could suffer a 13 per cent swing to the SNP.
In 2012, Scottish Labour’s vote share fell from 31 per cent to around 18 per cent, roughly the same as the Conservatives are expected to achieve. The Scottish Labour party has additionally become increasingly worried about the Green party’s threat from the left of Scottish politics and the possibility of being squeezed by the party and the Tories who now represent mainstream unionism.
“Voters in Scotland don’t want blanket opposition or unquestioning support for everything the government does, they want us to get results and to rise about the Punch and Judy theatrics.” Ross Greer
At the Labour Economic conference in Glasgow, at the start of the month, the deputy leader of Scottish Labour Alex Rowley said: “The Greens who decided to given in to SNP austerity have shown themselves to neither be progressive or green.”
Ross added: “Green council candidates will also be buoyed by this poll. More voters than ever before will get the chance to elect Green councillors in May who are committed to putting power in the hands of communities, protecting local services and strengthening local democracy. Of course, we’re taking nothing for granted and we’ll continue to campaign for the privilege of representing our communities in councils across Scotland.”
Local elections will be held on Thursday 4 May.
Picture courtesy of Paul Graham Morris
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