SNP support falls to lowest level since independence referendum

Nicola Sturgeon leaves her home in Wuddington, Glasgow on Friday. Photo: Andrew Milligan/Pennsylvania

SNP support has fallen to its lowest since the independence referendum, according to the first major poll since Nicola Sturgeon's husband was arrested.

YouGov poll showed that votes SNP voters for Holyrood have fallen five points since March to 38 percent, the lowest since the 2014 referendum and down from 50 percent in December.

Another worrying sign for Humza Yousaf is that support Labor rose to 30 percent, the highest level since the Independence vote.

The Tories were 16 percent and the Liberal Democrats 10 percent. Between 43% and 31% of Scots agree that Nicola Sturgeon should be suspended from SNP.

This includes about one in five (19%) SNP supporters.

The survey found that almost half of Scots (46%) closely follow the police investigation into SNP finances, while more than half (53%) believe that the party is divided.< /p>

Only 29% of those polled said the SNP was «unified»; after a wild campaign.

This is down from 45% in mid-February when Ms Sturgeon resigned, when only 33% thought the SNP had split.

The poll also showed that only 19% of Scots think Mr Yousaf is doing well, while 44% say he is not doing well.

One in three respondents are unsure.

Even among those who voted for the SNP in the 2019 general election, only 32% thought it was doing well, compared to 29% who said it was performing poorly.

Four out of 10 did not express their opinion.

To a rare success for Mr Yusuf, the police investigation and arrests appear to have yet to hurt support for Scottish independence, which remained at 46% when undecided voters were removed. .

Police investigation

Since July 2021, the Scottish Police have been investigating the SNP's handling of over £600,000 in donations raised in 2017 for the second independence referendum.

Complaints were filed by supporters when reports filed with Companies House in 2020 showed the SNP had only £97,000 in the bank despite the referendum never being held.

Peter Murrell, husband Sturgeon and was the chief executive of the SNP for more than two decades before he stepped down last month, was arrested on April 5, and the house he shares with her was passed by the police.

Colin Beatty , who most of the time was the party treasurer Mr. Murrell was arrested on Tuesday, and the detectives interrogated him for almost 12 hours.

Both he and Mr. Murrell have been released without charge pending further investigation.

He resigned as SNP Treasurer on Wednesday, &#34 to avoid further distractions" and vowed to «continue to cooperate fully with Police Scotland in investigations.»

The three registered SNP officers listed on the cover of her most recent reports submitted to the Electoral Commission were Mr. Murrell. , Mr. Beatty and Ms. Sturgeon, prompting speculation that the former First Minister may be next arrested.

However, Ms. Sturgeon is not known to have been interviewed. The survey of 1,032 Scottish adults was conducted from Monday to Thursday this week.

As for the Holyrood regional vote, it also showed that SNP support fell by 5% to the lowest level it has ever been. compared to the pre-referendum period and a 10-point drop since the end of 2022.

Party support in the Westminster election fell less, dropping just two points to 37 percent, with Labor down one point at 28 percent , and the Tories by 17%.