The results are likely to unsettle SNP strategists, who had anticipated a swift embrace of Mr Yousaf by the Scottish population upon his assumption of power at Bute House. However, he has faced difficulties in managing the scandal surrounding party finances, resulting in the arrest and subsequent release without charge of his predecessor. Additionally, he has been compelled to reverse prominent policies such as the bottle return scheme and fishing bans.
Despite preventing strike action in the NHS by approving substantial pay settlements, waiting times have continued to deteriorate under his leadership.
“The only surprise is that only half of those surveyed believe Humza Yousaf is performing poorly,” remarked Craig Hoy, Chairman of the Scottish Tories. “While Humza fixates on independence, the healthcare system is collapsing, the ferry debacle persists, public services have been diminished, and a further £1 billion deficit in the budget has been exposed.”
Opinion polls indicate that Labour is rapidly closing the gap on the SNP, with a recent survey positioning Sir Keir Starmer’s party just three points behind the nationalists in a general election. If this trend persists on election day, Labour stands to regain numerous seats in their former strongholds of the central belt.
Simultaneously, the Scottish Tories are planning an extensive campaign in rural areas, capitalizing on unpopular policies and the contentious coalition agreement between the SNP and the far-left Scottish Greens.
Reevaluating Leadership
The First Minister’s rating was only marginally superior to that of Rishi Sunak, with 22 percent of Scots expressing approval for Mr. Sunak’s leadership of the UK Government, compared to 59 percent who disapproved.
The poll also suggests a decline in support for Scottish independence since the previous survey in April, with 37 percent favoring separation, down from 39 percent. Conversely, those who would vote against independence increased to 46 percent.
A spokesperson for Mr. Yousaf asserted that under his leadership, the SNP remains “the most popular party in Scotland,” citing it as an endorsement of the government’s “successful track record.” Furthermore, the spokesperson highlighted Mr. Yousaf’s accomplishments in defining the core missions of his administration as equality, opportunity, and community, and implementing significant measures to achieve these objectives. Placing the well-being of the people at the forefront is the guiding principle of this government’s actions.
The survey conducted by YouGov involved 1,100 participants from Scotland between June 26 and 29.
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
