Labour poll lead crumbles

A SHOCK poll in Glasgow East has seen a 15 per cent swing from Labour to the SNP in the first week of the by-election campaign.

The ICM poll conducted on Thursday and Friday has found support for Labour at 47 per cent, the SNP on 33 per cent, with the Liberal Democrats on eight per cent and the Conservatives on seven.

At the last General Election, Labour had 61 per cent, the SNP 17 per cent, with the Liberal Democrats on 12 per cent and the Conservatives seven.

Relieved

While Labour will be relieved to be still in the lead, SNP campaigners claim a 15 per cent swing in the first week of the campaign sees them most of the way to overturning the Labour majority.

The SNP require a 22 per cent swing to take the seat, previously held by Labour veteran MP David Marshall, who resigned due to ill-health.

SNP leader Alex Salmond said he was delighted with the poll. ?We?re more than two-thirds of the way to victory with 10 days to go,? he said.

He pointed out the weekend before Jim Sillars?s victory in Govan 20 years ago, Labour was ahead 53 per cent to 33 per cent.

?Massive swing?

The SNP leader added, ?This is a massive swing to us in the first week of the campaign. Our campaign is rolling and Labour don?t have the people to stop us.?

SNP candidate John Mason added, ?We?ve come so far in a very short time and it will move every day.

?We?ve already canvassed more than 10,000 people and in the last couple of days in particular the vote is moving to us.?

See the full article at Sunday Post