Poll predicts SNP wipe out in Fife at General Election

Humza Yousaf's SNP would lose all the seats it currently holds in Fife if the poll was played out at the General Election.

By Alasdair Clark

January 15 2024, 2:35pm

The poll predicts a disappointing set of results for Humza Yousaf and the SNP. Image: PA

A brutal pre-election poll suggests the SNP could be wiped out in Fife at the General Election.

The poll suggests that, if the election were held today, the SNP would lose all the seats it currently holds in the Kingdom.

Nationally, the party would fall back to 25 seats in the House of Commons, down 23 on its 2019 result.

If the results of the poll were replicated at the election, the SNP would also fall short of their goal to win a majority of seats to begin negotiations for Scottish independence.

The YouGov survey projects Sir Keir Starmer would win a 1997-style landslide if the election were held today.

The Labour leader would enter 10 Downing Street with a 120-seat majority.

The study by YouGov correctly predicted the result of the 2017 election, and the poll has been described as the most authoritative so far. It uses a system called MRP, which estimates local opinion with large national samples.

Which seats would the SNP lose in Fife?

Humza Yousaf SNP General Election campaign — Humza Yousaf launches the SNP election campaign in Glasgow. Image: PA

The poll predicts a tough election for the SNP in Fife, where the party is on course to be left without a single MP.

Glenrothes and Mid Fife, Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy and Dunfermline and Dollar would all vote Labour, according to the study.

In North East Fife, Liberal Democrat MP Wendy Chamberlain would be re-elected.

Graeme Downie, Scottish Labour’s candidate for Dunfermline & Dollar, said the polls showed 2024 could the “year of change”, but said he would not be complacent.

He told The Courier: “We will keep working ever day, listening to local people and telling them how a strong group of Scottish Labour MPs can be the voice of Scotland in a UK Labour government.

Scottish Labour’s Dunfermline and Dollar candidate says the polls shows 2024 could be a “year of change”

“That government will improve the lives of working people, support jobs at places like Rosyth shipyard, invest in green jobs and take advantage of Dunfermline city status to grow our local economy and fund public services.”

Elsewhere in Tayside and Fife the electoral map would remain largely unchanged.

In Dundee, the poll shows the SNP would hold onto both seats it currently represents.

Incumbent SNP MP Pete Wishart would also be re-elected in Perth and Kinross-shire, while Dave Doogan would win in Angus and Perthshire Glens.

The SNP would also win again in Stirling and Strathallan.

Humza Yousaf’s election plea

Mr Yousaf has a battle on in other parts of Scotland, particularly urban central areas where Labour is poised for gains.

In Aberdeenshire, the Tories could hold on despite UK-wide gloom for Rishi Sunak’s party.

Mr Yousaf, in Aberdeen on Monday, said the whole country is his “focus”.

He added: “Keir Starmer is going to be the next prime minister of the UK. They’re 20-25% ahead in the polls. He doesn’t need Scotland to win.

“So if people in Scotland want to see a Scotland that is free of Tory MPs then they have to vote for the SNP because we are second place in every single Tory seat north of the border.”