Tories could lose Scottish MEP seat to Ukip

Ukip is closing in on the Conservatives in Scotland and could take the only Scottish European Parliament seat held by David Cameron’s party in elections next month, according to a new poll.

By The Newsroom Monday, 21st April 2014, 1:15 pm

UKIP leader Nigel Farage. Picture: Jane Barlow

Nigel Farage’s party is widely tipped to make gains at the expense of the Tories in the European Parliament elections on 22 May, although Ukip has previously struggled to make a breakthrough in Scotland.

However, a poll for The Scotsman showed Ukip is set to win 10 per cent of the vote north of the Border and is trailing the Conservatives by just one point as the European election campaign enters its final month.

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Ukip support in the ICM poll was up by four points to 14 per cent on findings from last month, while backing for the Tories dipped by two per cent to 11 per cent.

The poll findings may lead to fears among Conservatives that the party could lose its only Scottish MEP.

The Liberal Democrats are on course to lose their only MEP in Scotland, with the SNP expected to seize a European seat from the party.

The Lib Dems have the backing of just seven per cent of Scots ahead of the European elections, with a 2 per cent rise on a survey carried out last month by the same pollsters. However, the party faces further electoral meltdown with the loss of its only Scottish MEP George Lyon, as it trails Ukip and the Tories as well as only being 3 per cent ahead of the Greens.

The SNP’s lead over Labour has been cut by three points to 9 per cent with the Nationalists on 37 per cent compared to the 28 per cent backing for Johann Lamont’s party, ahead of the last Scotland-wide electoral contest before the referendum on 18 September.