SNP set for heavy losses at general election despite John Swinney 'doing his best', poll predicts

The SNP could be left "significantly diminished" at Westminster with the party set for heavy losses at the general election, a new poll has found.

A survey of voting intentions by Savanta puts John Swinney's party on 17 seats - a significant drop from the 48 they won in 2019 - and Labour on 29.

Such a result, if replicated on polling day, would see the Nationalists fall well short of their ambition to win a majority of seats in Scotland as a mandate for an IndyRef2.

Professor John Curtice, the country's leading polling expert, said the downfall of Humza Yousaf hangs over the SNP “like a dark cloud”.

“John Swinney has done his best. But so far he has had little success in restoring the SNP’s fortunes. The party is stuck on the 33 per cent figure for Westminster vote intentions that Savanta recorded for the party at the beginning of the campaign," Curtice told The Scotsman.

"It is the same figure that Savanta previously reported shortly after the downfall of Humza Yousaf, an event that now hangs over the party like a dark cloud. Meanwhile, because Labour have edged up a point, they now trail their principal opponents by five rather than four points.

“Much of the SNP’s campaign efforts have involved suggesting that a UK Labour government would fail to provide the resources needed to finance Scotland’s public services, including not least the health service north of the Border. However, this line of attack seems to have made little impression.”

Curtice added: “The SNP’s failure to make much progress is reflected above all in the party’s continued failure to win over the support of those who would still vote for independence. Just 64 per cent of current Yes supporters say they will vote SNP, little different from the 65 per cent who did so in Savanta’s last poll. Meanwhile, nearly a quarter (24 per cent) are backing Labour, up from 20 per cent.

"Unless those Yes Labour supporters are won over in the next fortnight, the band of SNP MPs at Westminster looks set to be significantly diminished.”

Savanta interviewed 1,069 Scottish adults aged 16 and over online between June 14-18. Data was weighted to be demographically representative of Scottish adults by age, gender, region and past voting behaviour.

According to the new poll, Labour would secure 38 per cent of the vote if a general election was held tomorrow, which is an increase of one point since the last Savanta poll in Scotland at the end of May.

To sign up to the Daily Record Politics newsletter, click here