YouGov poll shows support for Green breakthrough
For immediate release 4 May 2011
The Scottish Greens today released numbers from YouGov showing the strength of the party's appeal and broad unpopularity of the coalition parties contesting Holyrood seats ahead of polling day tomorrow. The question asked about attitudes to each party's prospects, specifically whether people would prefer to see them return more, fewer, or the same number of MSPs.
The Greens received the highest net positive score, at +10%, with 34% of those polled backing a bigger group of Green MSPs. The Lib Dems received the highest net negative score, at -45%, with 57% of those polled backing a reduction in their Holyrood representation. The Conservatives were almost as unpopular, with a net negative score of -37% and 56% of those polled hoping to see fewer Tories in the next Parliament.
Patrick Harvie said:
"This poll shows as clearly as possible the benefits of running a positive campaign, as Greens have done, emphasising a practical alternative to the UK Government's cuts agenda, and more than a third of Scots are hoping for a stronger group of Green MSPs in the next Parliament. They can only get what they want by turning out tomorrow and giving their second vote to the Greens.
"These results also show the price the Lib Dems in particular have paid for their decision to abandon their principles to put David Cameron into Number 10. It seems extraordinary, but they are now even more unpopular across Scotland than the Conservatives. Whoever becomes First Minister, the crucial question is this - will the coalition parties hold the balance of power, or, as Scots seem to prefer, will Greens be in a position to challenge inequality and deliver on public services, fuel poverty and education?"
YouGov polled 1484 Scottish adults between the 2nd and the 4th of May. The question asked was as follows:
The last Scottish Parliament was made up of the following number of MSPs (Members of the Scottish Parliament):
SNP - 47
Labour - 46
Conservative - 17
Liberal Democrat - 16
Green - 2
Independent - 1
After the Scottish Parliament Election this week would you like to see the following parties have more, the same or fewer number of MSPs as they did in the last Scottish Parliament?
SNP - Up: 40%, Same: 16%, Down: 35%, NET: +5%
Lab - Up: 31%, Same: 19%, Down: 41%, NET: -10%
Con - Up: 19%, Same: 16%, Down: 56%, NET: -37%
Grn - Up: 34%, Same: 27%, Down: 24%, NET: +10%
LDs - Up: 12%, Same, 22%, Down: 57%, NET: -45%
For a graph showing the numbers, see:
http://scot.gr/updown