Dundee LibDems welcome poll advance at expense of SNP and Labour

9.15.29pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 20th Apr 2007

Liberal Democrats advance across Scotland

Dundee Liberal Democrats have today (Friday 20th April) welcomed latest opinion polls showing the advance of the Scottish LibDems at the expense of Labour and the SNP.

The Times today published the first Scottish opinion poll where the interviews have been conducted after the launch of the campaign and after the manifestos have been published.

For the Constituency Vote, the poll put the Liberal Democrats at 18 per cent up 3 points since the last Times poll two weeks ago. For the Regional Vote, the Liberal Democrats are up by 4 points to 18 per cent.

Scottish LibDem Leader Nicol Stephen said, "These are the biggest changes of any party. This would be enough for 23 MSPs - with two more weeks of campaigning to go.

"Even more stark, is the comparison with the same Times poll four years ago in April 2003. Compared to then, the Liberal Democrats are up 7 points on the Constituency vote and up 8 points on the regional vote. We are the party that has made the biggest progress since April 2003."

Four years ago the Times correspondent wrote, ""The Liberal Democrats are the biggest losers".

Today, the same correspondent writes, "only the Lib Dems can claim real comfort from our poll," and that it demonstrates "a significant upswing of support for the Liberal Democrats".

Nicol continued, "I know that this is just one poll in isolation. But this poll reinforces what voters are telling me: they are fed up with Labour but do not support independence.

"Our challenge is to make sure we get our positive message heard loud and clear in the next two weeks."

Here in Dundee, LibDem Council Group Leader, Cllr Fraser Macpherson, said, "I always said that the party would edge forwards as the campaign progressed. Here in Dundee, it is the Liberal Democrats who are making all the running and the same appears to be true right across Scotland."

Related Link:

LibDems advance as Nationalist bandwagon runs out of steam - The Times.