YouGov poll: Fewer than one in five Labour voters in Scotland happy with UK government record
New polling lays bare the challenge facing Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar at Holyrood next year
Fewer than one in five of those who voted Labour at the general election in Scotland last year approve of the party's record in government to date, a damning new poll has found.
Polling guru Professor Sir John Curtice said the findings suggested Scottish Labour would be damaged in May’s Holyrood election by the party’s performance at Westminster.
The survey by YouGov found just 9 per cent of the Scottish public feel favourably towards Labour’s record in power, while three quarters (75 per cent) disapprove. Of those who voted Labour in 2024, only 18 per cent approve of its record, while 67 per cent disapprove.
Meanwhile, just 48 per cent of those who backed Labour say they would vote for the party at the next election, with 35 per cent considering the Liberal Democrats and 28 per cent open to backing the SNP.
A total of 87 per cent of those who voted for John Swinney’s SNP in 2024 said they would consider backing them again, although 45 per cent are also open to voting Green.
The findings illustrate the huge challenge facing Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar as he seeks to remove the SNP from power at the Holyrood election in May.
Prof Curtice warned Mr Sarwar is being held back by UK Labour’s unpopularity. “The problem for Scottish Labour does indeed lie at Westminster,” he said.
The SNP Government in Scotland is also unpopular, but not as unpopular as the UK Labour administration. Just 25 per cent of Scots approve of the record of the Scottish Government to date, while 56 per cent disapprove.
However, 37 per cent of Scots say they are open to backing the SNP at the next election, compared to 23 per cent who say the same of Labour.
Elsewhere, just over a quarter of Scots are open to backing the Greens or Lib Dems (27 per cent and 26 per cent respectively), while 21 per cent would consider voting for Nigel Farage’s Reform UK and 15 per cent are open to voting Conservative.
John Swinney is the least unpopular of Scotland’s party leaders, with 32 per cent having a favourable opinion of the First Minister and 51 per cent seeing him in a negative light.
This compares to Mr Sarwar, who only 17 per cent view positively, while 51 per cent feel negatively towards him. Almost three quarters of Scots (72 per cent) view Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in a negative light.
Asked which party would be best at handling key issues, the SNP is ahead in important areas such as education, the NHS, taxation and the economy in general.
YouGov polled 1,017 adults in Scotland between October 31 and November 5. It found the Scottish public is split 49 per cent to 51 per cent over whether or not it would back independence in a second referendum, with No just ahead.
Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie said: “Next year’s election is about removing the SNP from power. The reality is that only Scottish Labour can end SNP mismanagement and take Scotland in a new direction.
“John Swinney doesn’t want to talk about the SNP’s record in government because his fingerprints are all over his party’s failings during their 18 long years in power. Instead, he wants to double down on talking up independence and the poison of Reform, while completely neglecting his duty to fix public services.
“Scottish Labour will build a country where government delivers the basics, and everyone has the chance to reach their full potential.”
SNP deputy leader Keith Brown said the poll underlined “a simple truth – John Swinney is Scotland’s most trusted leader, and the SNP is the party most Scots are willing to back next May”.
He added: “Labour, meanwhile, are losing their own voters in droves. Fewer than one in five of their supporters approve of their record, and barely half would even consider voting Labour again. After a year of U-turns, cuts, and a government all too ready to dance to Nigel Farage’s tune, trust in Labour has collapsed.
“This poll shows that only the SNP, under John Swinney, is offering the credible, principled leadership Scotland needs".
Scottish Conservative deputy leader Rachael Hamilton said: “These damning findings confirm people are sick and tired of both their governments repeatedly breaking their promises.
“Voters are paying more but getting less under both Labour and the SNP and look set to be punished by their Budgets in the coming weeks.
“After nearly two decades of putting their independence obsession above people’s real priorities, Scots can rightfully boot John Swinney and the SNP out office next year and finally move on from that debate.”
Comments
Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.