Kezia Dugdale, a former leader of the Labour Party in Scotland, has revealed that she voted for the Scottish National Party (SNP) in the European Parliament election in 2019. Speaking to a Radio 4 documentary on the fall of Labour in Scotland, Dugdale, who had resigned as leader in 2017, disclosed that it was her first and only vote for the SNP and was based on her frustration with Brexit. She added that she had voted for Labour in every election since.
Dugdale’s admission is indicative of Labour’s difficulties in Scotland, particularly in the wake of the independence referendum. The documentary also revealed that recent polls suggest that Labour could make a significant comeback in Scotland. The party believes 28 constituencies north of the border are “in play”, although they do not necessarily expect to win all of these seats.
Anas Sarwar, the current leader of Scottish Labour, told the programme that he believed the tipping point in Scottish polls was around 35% support: “If we get around 35% in the polls then we are in competition to beat the SNP,” he said. He also noted that he had always believed Labour could achieve this result, despite most people thinking he was “deluded” two years ago. Polling currently has Labour’s support in Scotland at around 34%.
Despite Labour’s hopes, SNP leader Humza Yousaf said he remained optimistic about the general election. He noted that 2025 would be a difficult year for the SNP, but that the general election presented an opportunity to showcase policy. Ruth Davidson, a Conservative peer, said Labour was likely to benefit from the sense that the 2024 election was one for change, but added that the Conservatives could increase their seat tally in Scotland
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