SNP set for ’emphatic’ Westminster win, says Scotland’s Deputy First Minister

The SNP could be in the ‘most powerful position at Westminster in our history’ after the next general election, Deputy First Minister Jenny Gilruth said (Robert Perry/PA)Katrine Bussey3 minutes agoNews Briefings

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A new poll has the SNP on course for an “emphatic win” in Scotland in the next general election – with Deputy First Minister Jenny Gilruth insisting that could see the party’s MPs “wield significant influence” in the Commons.

Ms Gilruth said the polling suggested the SNP could be “in the most powerful position at Westminster in our history”, adding that in such circumstances Prime Minister Andy Burnham “will not be able to ignore Scotland’s right to decide our own future”.

She spoke out in the wake of research by pollsters at Survation which put John Swinney’s party on track to win 34% of the vote at Westminster – up from the 30% the party secured in the 2024 election.

That ballot saw their number of MPs cut to nine, as Labour regained dozens of seats, winning 37 constituencies on 35% of the vote.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham is due to visit Scotland on Friday – at the same time as the SNP conference is taking place. (Jordan Pettitt/PA)But the Survation poll, which saw 2,039 people in Scotland questioned between September and October, put support for Labour at 20%.

Ms Gilruth said: “This poll makes it abundantly clear that if there is a Burnham bounce, then it stops at Berwick.”

Reform UK were third on 18% support, ahead of the Conservatives on 12%, with the Liberal Democrats on 8% and the Scottish Greens polling 6%.

On the question of independence, Survation found 52% of Scots would vote Yes in a second referendum, with 48% in favour of staying in the UK, when those who did not know were removed.

The findings were released as SNP activists prepare to gather in Aberdeen for the party’s conference, which gets underway in the city on Thursday.

The Deputy First Minister said: “As we head into SNP conference this weekend, we do so with independence once again in the lead and the SNP on course for an emphatic win at the Westminster election.

“Everyone knows that Westminster is heading for a hung parliament and the SNP will wield significant influence.

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“We will be in the most powerful position at Westminster in our history, and Andy Burnham will not be able to ignore Scotland’s right to decide our own future.”

Mr Burnham is due to visit Scotland on Friday, and while SNP leader John Swinney has predicted he will be the last prime minister of the UK, the Labour leader used his own conference speech to make clear he is “utterly determined” to avoid this.

However, Ms Gilruth accused the Prime Minister of “rushing up to Scotland to get in on our conference”.

She added that he is “fast becoming defined by independence”, saying that “there is no doubt that our constitutional future is the dominant question of these islands”.