Labour voters could start to rally round the Scottish Tories in the final days of the Holyrood campaign, a polling expert says.
Professor Sir John Curtice has analysed the latest polls and concluded that more than one in seven Labour voters, around 15 per cent, could lend their list votes to the Scottish Conservatives.
Professor Curtice’s current projections show Labour falling to just 20 seats, as pro-UK voters look to tactically back the Tories in a bid to prevent an SNP majority and stop indyref2.
He said: “Labour voters are proving the least loyal on the regional ballot. Only two-thirds of the party’s constituency supporters are backing it on the list.
“All the other parties are benefiting to some degree from this movement but the biggest beneficiaries by far are the Conservatives.
“No less than 15% of those backing Labour on the constituency ballot are supporting the Conservatives on the list.”
He added: “However, Labour are not the only party for whom the outcome of the election could prove something of a disappointment.
“The latest polls suggest that the SNP’s chances of winning an overall majority remain in the balance.
“Our latest projection suggests they could be a few seats short.”
Scottish Tory candidate for Glasgow Annie Wells said: “It’s clear that pro-UK voters are willing to lend their peach party ballots to the Scottish Conservatives, even just this one time, because it’s the only way to stop an SNP majority and stop indyref2.”