Kezia Dugdale’s battle to fend off the Tories to be Scotland’s opposition party looks likely to succeed – but only just.
The Courier can reveal recent internal Labour polling returned similar results to research carried published by Panelbase at the weekend, which suggested the gap between the two parties is widening as Thursday’s vote approaches.
But Ms Dugdale’s troops have written off every single constituency in Tayside and Fife, including deputy leader Alex Rowley’s Cowdenbeath seat, as they focus on securing regional list votes.
The latest survey puts Labour three points clear of the Tories, 22% compared to 19%, with the SNP still dominant on 44% despite a three point slip. The Greens returned 6%, the Liberal Democrats 4%, Ukip 3%, and Rise 2%.
On constituency votes, the SNP retained a clear lead on 49%, Labour 23% and the Conservatives 17%.
Several polls had put the opposition parties neck and neck, which has led to speculation Ruth Davidson’s party could overtake Ms Dugdale’s as the official opposition in the Scottish Parliament.
A Labour source said the party had conducted private research with a different polling company which returned very similar results.
But the insider said information on Mr Rowley’s chances in the seat he won with 56% of the vote in a January 2014 by-election was extremely limited because “we haven’t knocked a door in Cowdenbeath this calendar year.”
Asked directly about election campaign director Mr Rowley’s chances, Ms Dugdale said: “Our activists are working hard right across the country.
“There’s a big difference to how we’re campaigning this year compared to the general election. We’re still door knocking…but we’re also doing other stuff on top of that. Town hall meetings, street stalls, being much more confident about being visible on the high street.”
A Scottish Conservative spokesman said: “A vote for Ruth Davidson at this election is a vote to get a strong opposition which will really hold the SNP to account.”
John Swinney, the SNP’s campaign director, said: “Only the SNP has the unity, the ideas and the leadership to keep Scotland moving forward.”