Ukip eyes an election breakthrough
UKIP could make a remarkable breakthrough at this year’s Holyrood election, according to a new opinion poll.
The Survation poll put the anti-EU party on 6 per cent – enough to result in seven MSPs and push the Lib Dems into sixth place.
Most previous surveys have suggested Ukip is much further behind and it is thought the latest results could be due to the rising prominence of the EU referendum debate in the media.
The SNP remains comfortably in the lead, according to the study, despite significant support for Labour’s flagship policy to raise income tax by 1p.
While 42 per cent of those surveyed backed the move, only 22 per cent said they were planning to vote for Kezia Dugdale’s party in the constituency section of the ballot – compared to a figure of 53 per cent for the SNP.
Support for the Conservatives was at 16 per cent, with 6 per cent planning on voting for the Liberal Democrats.
The SNP also has a commanding lead in the regional list section of the vote, with the poll putting Nicola Sturgeon’s party on 45 per cent, with Labour on 18 per cent, the Conservatives on 15 per cent, the Greens on 9 per cent and both the Liberal Democrats and Ukip on 6 per cent.
If replicated in May, that would leave the SNP with 70 MSPs, giving the party a second majority term at Holyrood, while Labour could return 21 MSPs – down from the 37 it won in 2011. The Conservatives are projected to have 16 MSPs, with the Greens on nine, Ukip on seven, and the Lib Dems on six.
Survation surveyed 1,006 people in Scotland between February 11 and 16.
Ukip’s Scotland leader David Coburn MEP said the EU referendum will ‘focus voters’ minds on what is really going on in Scotland’. He added: ‘Ukip Scotland starting Holyrood campaign now and I will be on media frequently. SNP be afraid.’
Mr Coburn is Ukip’s only elected representative north of the Border and the party failed to make any breakthrough in last year’s General Election.
SNP business convener Derek Mackay welcomed the poll as ‘extremely encouraging’.
He said: ‘While Labour’s plans for a tax hike on working people and pensioners have failed to stand up to scrutiny, we’ll set out a clear vision for transforming education, supporting our NHS and growing our economy.’
Scottish Labour public services spokesman Jackie Baillie said: ‘This is a significant moment ahead of the final reading of the Budget next week and it gives the SNP a clear choice; endorse the tax plans of George Osborne or use the powers of the Scottish parliament to stop cuts to our schools and services.
‘This poll shows strong support, including amongst SNP voters, for Kezia Dugdale’s bold plan to use the powers of the Scottish parliament to stop cuts. For nearly a decade the SNP has stopped short of delivering radical change in government because it always had one eye on the polls. These findings confirm there is nothing stopping the SNP Government from doing the right thing.’