Starmer Revives the SNP: Scottish Labour Sinks in the Polls

Published on May 05, 2026 | Translated from Spanish

The difficulties of Labour leader Keir Starmer have given an unexpected respite to the Scottish National Party (SNP). Although its record of government in Scotland is patchy, polls point to a fifth consecutive term. Labour, which dreamed of regaining ground, now even doubts reaching second place in Holyrood.

An electoral chart shows the SNP on the rise, with Keir Starmer's Labour arrow falling towards second place in Scotland.

The algorithm of discontent: how the leadership crisis drives the nationalist vote 🗳️

Recent poll data shows a direct correlation between the decline in confidence in Starmer and the SNP's uptick in voting intention. While British Labour gets tangled in internal disputes and a lack of clear messaging, Scottish nationalists capitalize on the discontent. Their campaign machinery, though worn out, remains more effective than that of a Labour Party that fails to connect with the Scottish electorate.

The SNP paradox: patchy government, but Starmer is worse 🤷

The SNP has a track record of government that would make a project manager cry. Infrastructure promises that remain as sketches and education systems with declining grades. But faced with a Starmer who doesn't know whether to order a coffee or a declaration of independence, Scots think: better a known poor manager than a leader looking for his compass in Labour's old junk closet.