Poll suggests success for Scottish Liberal Democrats next May - and success in Dundee predicted too
Dundee Liberal Democrats have welcomed last week's opinion poll showing that the Scottish Liberal Democrats will be the major gainers in next year's Scottish Parliament elections.
According to projections by John Curtice, professor of politics at Strathclyde University, the Lib Dems would gain six seats if the results of the System Three survey were repeated next May.
Reporting the findings, The Herald says the results are "a blow" for the SNP and "there is little sign of Tory progress" but they indicate "a strong second-vote showing for the Lib Dems".
The poll results are :
First (constituency) vote: Lab 36% (+1), SNP 28% (+4), LD 17% (+2), Con 12% (-5), SSP 4% (-2)
Second (list) vote: Lab 28% (-1), SNP 27% (-6), LD 19% (+7), Con 11% (-5), Grn 8% (+1), SSP 6% (-1)
Projected seats: Lab 49 (-1), SNP 24 (-3), LD 23 (+6), Con 20 (+2), Grn 9 (+2), SSP 1 (-5)
NB. The Greens will not be standing first vote constituency candidates. The changes are from the 2003 Scottish Parliament elections. Source: TNS System Three. Polling was Aug 24 - 29, with 989 respondents.
Scottish Liberal Democrat Leader Nicol Stephen MSP said, "This poll is yet more evidence that the Liberal Democrats are the only party in Scotland with increasing public support and growing momentum across the country.
"While Labour and the Tories stand still the poll shows support for the SNP declining since the last Scottish Parliament elections. We are now well placed to be Scotland's largest party after next year's General Election."
Here in Dundee, Liberal Democrat City Council Group Leader Cllr Fraser Macpherson said, "Locally we are on course to greatly increase our share of the vote and the Liberal Democrat presence on Dundee City Council.
"We will continue to work hard for the people of the City, all year round, not just at election time."