Pandemic response turns voters towards SNP
First Minister Ni cola St urgeon’s handling of the Covid -19 pandemic is driving voters towards the S NP while support for independence remains close to record highs, a new poll has shown.
The poll, by Savant a co mRes for The Scots man, puts the SNP on course for a comfortable majority at the Scottish Parliamentary elections in May with opposition parties failing to make a dent in the support across the country for Ms Sturgeon’s party.
Pollsters inter viewed 1,016 adults in Scotland aged 16 or over online between 8 and 13 January for the survey.
They found support for independence remains high, with 57 per cent saying they would vote Yes if a second independence referendum was held tomorrow compared with 43 per cent who would vote No when those who were undecided are excluded.
Independence is the majority view across the country even with undecideds included, with 51 per cent saying they would vote yes, 38 p er cent supporting No, and 10 per cent saying they did not know.
A referendum within the next two years is supported by around 40 per cent of voters, with a majority of 52 per cent stating it should take place before the 2026 Holyrood elections.
A perception that Ms Sturgeon is handling the Covid-19 pandemic well is also driving people in Scotland to vote for the SNP and the leader of the Nationalists is popular with many people who voted for other parties in the 2019 election.
The figures have led to warnings that Scottish Labour could be most at risk from voters jumping ship to vote SNP.
A net total of 22 per cent of voters – of which 37 per cent voted for Scottish Labour in 2019 and 13 percent Scottish Conservative voters–are “more likely” to vote for the SNP due to their handling of the pandemic.
The “Sturgeon effect” is further demonstrated by the poll’s data showing almost half – 46 per cent – of Scottish Labour voters and a third – 36 per cent – of Scottish Conservative voters have a better view of the First Minister now than they did before the pandemic.
In total, 59 p er cent of voters have a more positive view of Ms Sturgeon now than prepandemic.
Opposition parties are also struggling to persuade voters to switch sides. Just 19,21, and 15 per cent of voters said they felt “more likely” to vote for the Scottish Conservatives, Scottish Labour, and Scottish Liberal Democrats respectively due to how the parties have handled the pandemic.
Ahead of the 2021 Holyrood elections, overall support for the main parties has remained largely stable since the last poll in December, with the SNP set for a majority of 13 seats in Holyrood.
In the constituency vote, the SNP and the Scottish Conservatives saw small drops of support of two and one point respectively to 53 per cent and 19 per cent of the vote share.
S cottish Lab our saw their vote increase by t wo p oints to 18 per cent, with the Liberal Democrats staying on 6 per cent.
However, the Scottish Conser vatives have taken a hit in the list voting intention, dropping to third with just 16 per cent.