A new poll suggests the SNP could snatch the north-east Fife seat from the Liberal Democrats in May’s general election.
Polling in the region by Lord Ashcroft shows 43% of those who took part hope SNP candidate Stephen Gethins will replace Liberal Democrat Sir Menzies Campbell, who has been MP since 1987.
A total of 30% of survey participants said they intended to vote for Lib Dem candidate Tim Brett while 16% favoured Conservative Huw Bell.
Just 9% said they were hopeful Labour candidate Brian Thomson would take the Westminster seat, while the remaining 2% who took part said they planned to vote for “other” parties.
Welcoming the results, the SNP’s general election campaign director Angus Robertson said: “These constituency polls are very welcome, indicating SNP support continuing to grow across Scotland encompassing areas which voted no as well as areas which voted yes.
“If people place their trust in the SNP on May 7 our pledge is to be a strong voice at Westminster for the whole of Scotland.”
The poll showed Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy and Shadow Foreign Secretary Douglas Alexander are also on track for heavy defeats to the SNP. Former Tory peer Lord Ashcroft found Mr Murphy is nine points behind while Mr Alexander is losing by 11 points.
Former Lib Dem leader Charles Kennedy polled 15 points behind in the race for Ross, Skye and Lochaber, while Jo Swinson the business minister is 11 points down in East Dunbartonshire.
The poll suggests seven SNP gains across Scotland, with the Tories one point ahead in Berwickshire, Roxborough and Selkirk, which was held by Liberal Democrat Sir Alan Beith.
It also indicated the SNP would gain Glasgow South West from Labour and seize Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale from the Tories.
Each constituency poll featured 1,000 voters, with the surveys completed between April 11 and yesterday.
Lord Ashcroft said: “I wanted to know whether the SNP surge had subsided in places I had previously surveyed; whether it threatened other incumbents, especially Lib Dems; and whether there were any potential surprises in store.
“The answers are no, yes and yes. In the three Labour seats the SNP are further ahead than when I polled them earlier in the year.”