Poll finds Labour could win over SNP supporters with living wage pledge

Following yesterday’s news that Labour could lose 36 Scottish MPs in May – with the SNP on 45% and Labour on 24% – a poll released last night conducted by Survation has looked at how Labour could win votes back from the SNP.

The poll asked 1,002 potential voters in Scotland, who had expressed an intention during the last year to vote for SNP in the next Holyrood or Westminster election about their views on different policies, and how Labour’s stance on such policies might influence their vote. They asked about five key areas – living wage, tuition fees, Trident, rail ownership and childcare.

At the top of the list, the policy commitment that would make the largest proportion of people (37%) most likely to vote Labour would be committing to introducing a mandatory living wage. Meanwhile the same number of people – 30% – said they would be more likely to vote Labour if we committed to permanently abolishing tuition fees in Scotland or decommissioning Trident. And If Labour said they’d re-nationalise Scottish rail services, they could swing 27% of those who look set to vote SNP in their favour. While 21% would be more likely to vote Labour if they promises to introduce free nursery places for children from the age of 12 months.

Although many of those asked said these policy changes wouldn’t have any impact on who they’d vote for, Survation’s Director of Research Patrick Brione has explained the significance of this polling:

“If Labour could win over the 37% of SNP voters who say that policies such as a mandatory living wage would make them more likely to vote Labour, then the Labour Party could enjoy a swing of up to 17 points in the Scottish polls from the SNP – enough to restore Labour to first place in Scotland ahead of next year’s general election.”

Neil Foster, Head of Progressive Polling, chimed with Brione’s comments, explaining:

“This poll of 1,002 SNP voters suggests all is not lost for Labour if the party adopts a number of bold and progressive measures… This is all fertile ground for Scottish Labour to fight the SNP on and to win back support.”

And Katy Clark, who is running to be Deputy Leader of the Scottish Labour Party, supported these findings arguing:

“Business as usual will lose Scotland for Labour, it’s time to win back the missing 37% by abandoning New Labour for good.”

“If we’re going to get real change and a fair deal for Scotland we need someone who won’t just accept the status quo in Westminster. I’ve never done that and I never will.”

The winners of the leader and deputy leader race will be announced on the 13th December.