Poll: Sir Keir Starmer's bigger influence over Scottish voters than Anas Sarwar

A survey by Opinion Matters for the communications firm Big Partnership spoke to 1,000 people between February 14 and 18, ahead of the Scottish Labour conference in Glasgow this weekend, where Sir Keir Starmer will speak on Sunday.

In the poll, voters were asked who of the two Labour leaders would be more influential to their vote at next year’s Holyrood election.

Responding to the survey, a total of 29.5 per cent said the Prime Minister would have more influence over their decision, and 12.4 per cent said he would have “significantly more influence” than the Scottish Labour leader.

Just 12.6 per cent said Mr Sarwar would be more likely to sway their decision. Some 27.3 per cent of respondents said the influence of the men on their Holyrood vote was about the same.

Both Labour and the Tories in Scotland have long had issues with their partners south of the Border making their lives harder.

Mr Sarwar’s party has watched as poll numbers have slumped since their peak last summer, following a number of unpopular decisions at UK government level. The Scottish Labour leader has had to repeatedly field questions about Sir Keir’s actions, while the Scottish Tories were repeatedly undermined by their counterparts while they were in government.

Fraser Paterson, the head of public affairs at Big Partnership and a former adviser to a Labour MSP, said: “These results raise questions about the balance of influence between Labour north and south of the Border when it comes to campaigning ahead of the Holyrood elections, and whether Anas Sarwar can establish a distinct electoral identity separate from the Prime Minister, who inevitably is making most of the political weather.

“Like the Conservatives, Labour has long grappled with tensions between Holyrood and Westminster, but that doesn’t have to be the case. The real test for Keir Starmer and Anas Sarwar is whether they can forge a more unified approach.

“For organisations looking to shape the public agenda, it’s essential to understand where the differences may lie and identify both the pitfalls and opportunities that come with them.

“Therefore, engaging effectively on both sides of the border has never been more important.”