LAB running just 3% behind SNP in Scotland according to the Populus November aggregate
But Sturgeon’s party would be one short on seats
Following my post yesterday about the woeful lack of polling data from what could be the most critical area of all at GE15, Scotland, a PBer contacted me to point out that Populus has resumed its excellent practice of issuing a full monthly data analysis from the eight or nine online surveys carried out in the previous month.
What’s great about this is that you have a very large sample which gives us sub samples based on enough responses so that you can have some confidence in the output. This is not, however, a proper poll and all the reservations about sub samples remain. It is the best that’s available at the moment.
The aggregated GE15 responses for Scotland alone are shown in the chart and as can be seen the SNP is ahead. But the margin, 3%, is miniscule compared with what other forms were reporting a few weeks ago.
Unfortunately there is no comparative Populus data available for October to allow us to make comparisons.
You should note that Populus does tend to have the highest aggregate CON-LAB shares of all the pollsters and, consequentially, smaller shares for other parties which could impact on the SNP.
Whatever the red team will be delighted by this data and the Scottish seat calculations that put them on 28 MPs – 13 fewer than their current contingent from north of the border.
If this Populus data is on the right lines then the Labour chances of becoming top party nationally are a bit higher.
I’m told that we should see the December Scottish poll from Survation before Christmas which should allow us to track trends.
UPDATE: SNP lead in Scotland 4% in sub-sample in today’s Populus poll
The latest GB figures with changes on last Friday are: Lab 36 (+1), Con 33 (=), LD 8 (-1), UKIP 15 (+1) GRN 4=. So very little movement.