By Jim Hislop

LABOUR WOULD lose Dundee West to the Scottish National Party in the next Scottish Parliamentary election according to the results of a poll commissioned by the SNP.

The results, revealed to The Courier on the eve of the SNP conference in Dundee, show the SNP just 1% behind Labour.

Leader Alex Salmond said, “This is obviously a tremendous boost for us going into the special conference in Dundee over the weekend.”

The SNP commissioned YouGov to conduct a survey of 1607 Scots on their voting intentions for the Scottish Parliament constituency vote.

YouGov asked the question so the SNP could identify those definitely going to vote.

There were 949 people in this category—just under 60%—which the party said is a good reflection of turnout in a Scottish Parliament vote.

The result for definite voters for the Scottish Parliament constituency vote was: Labour 30%, SNP 29%, Liberal Democrats 19%, Conservative 13%, Scottish Socialist Party 4% and 3% for the Green Party.

It represents a swing from Labour of 5%, from the Tories of 4% and the Liberal Democrats of 0.65%.

It would mean SNP gains in Galloway and Upper Nithsdale from the Tories and Cumbernauld, Kilmarnock, Dundee West, Western Isles, Govan, Aberdeen Central, Linlithgow, Renfrewshire West and Paisley South, all from Labour.

It would also take the SNP halfway to the 20 first-past-the-post seats they aim to take in 2007.

They said it ties in with local by-election results since May 2005, which have the SNP at 30% and Labour on 28%.

The SNP have won seven of the 15 local by-elections, including in Glasgow, Fife, the Borders and Stirling.

Mr Salmond added, “These results are very encouraging for the SNP.

“We are neck-and-neck with the Labour Party in the polls and winning council seats in all parts of Scotland.

“From Aberdeen and Dundee to the Western Isles the SNP is poised to take seats from Labour.

“We have a powerful message for the people of Scotland, and a determination to deliver a government with the ambition and a parliament with the power to change Scotland for the better.

“Our target is clear—victory in next year’s Scottish election.

“I want to be the next First Minister for Scotland.”

He added, “The wind is in the SNP’s sails.”