SNP humiliated as Labour overtakes party for first time in shock new poll

By Katie Harris, Political Reporter

Humza Yousaf, John Swinney and Nicola Sturgeon (Image: Getty)

Labour has overtaken the SNP for the first time in new polling in a fresh blow to the crisis-hit nationalist party.

The survey by Savanta put Sir Keir Starmer's party on 37 percent with the SNP four points behind on 34 percent when it comes to Westminster voting intention in Scotland, while the Tories are third on 18 percent.

It is the first time the polling company has recorded a lead for Labour over the SNP.

It comes days after John Swinney took over from Humza Yousaf as Scottish first minister and follows a tumultuous year in the wake of Nicola Sturgeon's resignation.

Chris Hopkins, political research director at Savanta, said: “This is the first time ever that Savanta’s research has shown a Labour lead over the SNP for Westminster voting intention.

"Our findings really do underline the major uphill task that John Swinney faces as the new First Minister.

“While our research suggests that the SNP continues to have a solid base, they’re likely to fall quite far from the 43 seats they currently hold at the next general election - as things stand.

"Even if Swinney can begin to turn things around, the spectre of Sturgeon and everything her time in power is now associated with will continue to hang over the party and hamper any recovery."

It is a remarkable turnaround from less than two years ago when the SNP held a 21-point lead over Labour in June 2022.

The poll of 1,080 Scottish adults, carried out from May 3-8, found that Labour is also neck-and-neck with the SNP in the Holyrood constituency voting intention for the first time with both on 35 percent.

And it has extended its lead over the nationalist party to six points by 32 percent to 26 percent in the Holyrood list voting intention.

Meanwhile, 48 percent are against Scottish independence with 44 percent in favour and seven percent undecided, according to the research.