Latest Poll Result

The latest poll, run by the Scotsman, sees the SSP sitting on 4 %
below is a letter I wrote to the Scotsman last week

SSP's GROWING SUPPORT
Hamish Macdonnell appears unable to see the wood for the trees in reporting the Scottish Socialist Party's growing support in the Scotsman's poll today.

It is all very well comparing the SSP's figures today with 2003 but that would be to ignore the events of the last few months. Surely the wiser comparison would be to look at the last ICM Scotsman opinion poll. This time last year it showed support for the SSP on just 2%, now we are on 4%.

Indeed the last three opinion polls in Scotland, all taken in the past few weeks offer considerable encouragement for the SSP, showing as they do support recovering and now standing at between 4-6%. This level of support repeated next May will put us within touching distance of a seat in all 8 regions of Scotland. And given that John McAllion has been selected to fight the North East Scotland region for us, we are confident of increasing our numbers at Holyrood next year.

I am heartened that our core support has remained loyal to the SSP throughout the stormy events of the summer. I can promise all our supporters that we are redoubling our efforts to promote our unique political message and I am very encouraged by the response.

New Labour are on the slide as your poll shows and there are hundreds of thousands of Scots looking for a left alternative. They wont find that with the SNP. By campaigning on our three key policy priorities of Independence, withdrawal of the troops from Iraq and the introduction of free school meals for every pupil we will continue to grow. All these issues have very broad appeal, especially amongst those Scots who have not yet decided if they will vote at all next May.

The SSP has been able to put the damage of the past few months behind us and I fully anticipate that our fortunes will continue to rise as the comparison with the polls of a year ago reveal. I am confident we will see that reflected in the Scotsman's polls in the months to come.

Colin Fox MSP
Scottish Socialist Party National Convenor
Holyrood
EDINBURGH