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“Labour’s crisis is Scotland's Opportunity” - Salmond
Speaking following the publication in Scotland on Sunday of the Scottish Opinion poll which shows Labour's vote in freefall, and the Scottish National Party establishing a clear four point lead, SNP Leader Alex Salmond MP today said:
"The Labour Party are disintegrating before our eyes. More and more Scots are now making a positive choice for the SNP.
"The SNP is the only credible challenger to Labour and next year's election is truly a two horse race between the SNP and Labour.
Labour’s crisis is Scotland’s opportunity to break the control of the London parties over our Parliament and our society.
"However, there is no room for complacency. The SNP remains in a neck and neck contest with Labour for political leadership of Scotland. That is why we are working hard to prepare for government and deliver real leadership that puts the needs and interests of Scotland first.
"More and more Scots are growing tired of the washed up Labour and Lib Dem Executive and believe it is time for an SNP Government."
Depute Leader Nicola Sturgeon MSP added:
"The SNP enter this contest from an increasingly strong position. We have the best electoral record in Scotland in the past year, winning local and parliamentary by-elections up and down Scotland.
“Labour support is haemorrhaging from issues as varied as hospital closures in Lanarkshire to the crisis in the Middle East.
Given that we are second to Labour in 36 of their 40 first-past-the-post seats in the Scottish parliament , we are the only party that can break the Labour stranglehold on Scotland and emerge from the election as Scotland's largest party with Alex Salmond as First Minister.”
Notes to editors:
Scottish Opinion Omnibus Poll
Scottish Opinion last week polled 1000 Scots and asked them who they would support in next year's Scottish Parliament election.
The results*, excluding don't knows, won't say and won't be voting, were:
Party : Aug 2006 : 2003 Result : Change : Swing to SNP
SNP 33 24 +9
Lab 29 35 -6 7.4%
LD 19 15 +4 2.7%
Con 10 17 -7 7.9%
Green 5 - +5
SSP 2 6 -4
These swings would mean the SNP would take the following 12 constituency seats from Labour and a further two from the Tories and the Lib/Dems.:
Cumbernauld & Kilsyth - Cathy Craigie
Kilmarnock & Loudon - Margaret Jamieson
Dundee West - Kate Maclean
Western Isles - Alasdair Morrison
Glasgow Govan - Gordon Jackson
Aberdeen Central - Lewis MacDonald
Linlithgow - Mary Mulligan
Renfrewshire West - Trish Godman
Paisley South - Hugh Henry
Fife Central - Christine May
Cunningham North - Allan Wilson
Livingston - Bristow Muldoon
A further 10 Labour seats are now highly marginal and would fall to another 2 per cent swing
*Totals were: SNP 19%, Labour 17%, Lib Dem 11%, 6% Conservative, 3% Green Party, 1% SSP. 42% did not give a party preference, of these 12% refused
to vote, 22% undecided and 8% refused to answer.
The Scottish Opinion polling was commissioned by the SNP as part of its on going programme of focus group research.
For further information contact the SNP Press Office: 07967217334
Author : SNP Press Office
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