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NICOLA Sturgeon’s dominance of Scottish politics shows no sign of waning as a poll reveals the SNP are set to increase their majority at Holyrood.

The exclusive survey for the Daily Record showed 52 per cent of Scots plan to back the nationalists in the constituency vote in May’s Scottish Parliament elections.

And 42 per cent will support them in the regional list vote.

Those figures would mean the SNP securing 70 MSPs – one more than they achieved in Alex Salmond’s dramatic victory in 2011.

That result would guarantee Sturgeon continuing as Scotland’s First Minister and could open the door to another independence referendum.

But opposition parties will be most worried by separate findings about satisfaction levels with the SNP’s record in government.

Labour, the Tories and the Lib Dems have been relentlessly focusing on perceived failures in hospitals, schools and policing under the SNP.

But the first opinion poll of election year suggests the strategy has not dented the public’s perception that the SNP are best equipped to run the devolved government in Edinburgh.

Only 20 per cent are dissatisfied with the Scottish Government’s performance on justice, 22 per cent on education and 27 per cent on health.

Sturgeon is also by far the most popular politician in the country.

She has a net favourability score of 27, miles ahead of Kezia Dugdale (-9), Ruth Davidson (-6), Willie Rennie (-7) and Patrick Harvie (0).

SNP business manager Derek Mackay said: “This is another very encouraging poll for the SNP – but we never take the support of people in Scotland for granted.

“While Labour and the Tories become increasingly divided and inward-looking, the SNP are

determined to build on our strong record in government and to keep Scotland moving with fresh thinking and new ideas.”

More politics

The poll makes grim reading for Scottish Labour, who are languishing 31 points behind the SNP on 21 per cent in the constituency vote.

Their support falls to just 20 per cent on the regional list.

Those numbers would see Kezia Dugdale’s party drop to 26 MSPs from the previous low of 37 they managed in 2011. A Scottish Labour spokesman said: “We are in no doubt about the scale of the challenge facing us in this election but the choice voters face is becoming clearer than ever.

“Only Scottish Labour would use the new powers to bring an end to failed Tory austerity and give everybody a fair chance in life, no matter their background.

“Despite all their talk, the SNP are content to just manage Tory austerity, passing on massive cuts to local school budgets.”

Ruth Davidson’s Tories are polling at 16 per cent in both votes, which would see them increase their number of MSPs by three to 18.

A spokesman said: “The Scottish Conservatives want to provide a real Scottish alternative to the SNP at these elections – holding the Scottish Government to account, backing our place in the UK and protecting family pay packets.

“This poll demonstrates that Scotland is in need of a strong opposition to take on the SNP and we intend to provide it.”

The Lib Dems would do slightly better than their near wipe-out in 2011, increasing their number of MSPs from five to seven.

And the Greens look set to cash in on their surge in popularity after the independence vote.

Their nine per cent in the regional list would see them leapfrog the Lib Dems and quadruple their number of MSPs to eight.

Co-convener Patrick Harvie said: “With our booming membership and first-rate candidates already active in communities the length and breadth of Scotland, we’re relishing the prospect of turning these numbers into more Green MSPs.”

The poll also showed that support for independence has grown since the 45 per cent achieved in the September 2014 vote. If a repeat vote was held tomorrow, 51 per cent would vote No and 49 per cent would back Yes.

Survation polled 1029 Scots aged over 16 between January 8 and 12.

POLL - SEATS

The 2016 figure is predicted using Weber Shandwick’s Scotland Votes tool.

SNP - 69 (2011) 70 (2016)

LAB - 37 (2011) 26 (2016)

CON - 15 (2011) 18 (2016)

LIB DEM - 5 (2011) 7 (2016)

GREEN - 2 (2011) 8 (2016)