Election hammer blow for Swinney as SNP mired in scandal and crisis
- He’s braced for heavy losses as SNP mired in scandal and crisis
John Swinney is staring down the barrel of heavy losses as voters hit the polls less than two months after he became First Minister.
Pro-Union parties believe they can inflict major defeats on the SNP in seats across the country as the party continues to be mired in scandal and crisis.
Campaigners are also preparing tactical voting drives to explain to voters how they can help oust Nationalist MPs when they go to the polls on July 4 – a date that clashes with the start of most school holidays in Scotland.
A young pupil appears less than impressed during a visit from John Swinney to Capshard Primary School in Kirkcaldy
Labour is on course for major gains in Scotland, while the SNP could plunge to as few as 11 seats, according to recent polling.
The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats also believe they can win seats from the Nationalists with heavily targeted campaigns.
Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross said: ‘This election in Scotland is a huge opportunity to defeat the SNP and put an end to their obsession with independence for good.
‘If voters unite in the many seats where it’s a straight fight between the Scottish Conservatives and the SNP, we can get rid of Nationalist MPs who have never focused on the things that really matter.’
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said: ‘The people of Scotland and the UK are desperate for an election and desperate for change.’
A YouGov poll this week put Labour on 39 per cent of the vote for the General Election, which was five percentage points higher than last month.
The SNP fell four points to 29 per cent, while the Tories dropped two to 12 per cent, the Lib Dems were unchanged on 8 per cent and the Greens were up three points at 7 per cent.
According to polling expert Sir John Curtice, the result would mean the SNP would plunge from the 48 seats it won at the 2019 General Election to only 11. Labour would soar from one to 35, while the Tories would be unchanged on six and the Lib Dems would rise by one to four.
Sir John, professor of politics at Strathclyde University, told BBC Radio Scotland’s Drivetime: ‘Of all the political parties, the party that is most unhappy – apart from perhaps some Conservative MPs who didn’t want to retire until the autumn – will be the SNP.
‘Rather than John Swinney having the autumn to perhaps try to turn things around and to try to narrow and maybe get back into the lead over Labour at least in terms of votes, the party now needs to fight a difficult election in which its position as the third party inside the House of Commons could well be at risk.’
Results from latest YouGov polls showing a slump in general election voting intentions
The Scottish Tories believe that they are best placed to challenge the SNP in 12 key seats and will relentlessly target pro-Union voters in each constituency.
They believe the party can hold its six seats won in 2019 and then be the strongest challenger to the SNP in other seats, including the new Aberdeenshire North and Moray East constituency; Gordon and Buchan; Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber; Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock; East Renfrewshire; Angus and Perthshire Glens.
Alastair Cameron, chairman of the Scotland in Union campaign group, said: ‘The Nationalists have obsessed about yesterday’s issues and on stirring up divisions. People in Scotland now have an opportunity to elect MPs who will work collaboratively at Westminster to solve today’s problems.’
Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said: ‘People have had enough. It’s time for change and Scottish Liberal Democrats are here for it.’
Mr Swinney, who was sworn in as First Minister on May 8 after Humza Yousaf resigned days after ending the power-sharing agreement with the Scottish Greens, said: ‘This is the moment to remove the Tory government and put Scotland first by voting SNP. We will work night and day to protect them from the damage done by Westminster.’
The Greens have pledged to field a record number of candidates in the General Election, which could further damage the SNP vote.
Co-leader Lorna Slater said her party ‘will be standing more candidates than ever before on July 4’.
Alba Party leader Alex Salmond said: ‘Alba has emerged as the only party seeking an independence mandate at each and every election and, with the SNP,
Greens and Tories now all in substantial disarray, we are increasing our effort for this year’s Westminster poll.’
Read more