With new poll suggesting light at the end of the tunnel for Scottish Labour, it’s the SNP who retain the upper hand, with the party’s anti-austerity agenda dominating the week’s news.  Public Affairs Account Manager Chris Young looks back at the last 7 days.

There’s hope yet.  At least, that’s what Scottish Labour strategists will be saying following the publication of a poll this week showing that the SNP’s seemingly insurmountable lead in voting intentions has been halved.

The survey, by pollsters TNS for the Electoral Reform Society, found that the gap between Scotland’s main political protagonists had fallen to…wait for it…ten points.

If replicated nationwide on 7 May – the party would save around half of the 41 seats it currently holds, somewhat stemming the SNP’s seemingly never-ending post-referendum surge.

While by any other standards, such a result would be viewed (perhaps rightly so) as catastrophic, compare these latest figures with those published just last week - pointing towards a near wipe-out of the party north of the border - and you can see why Jim Murphy and his team may sense that the momentum may finally be shifting in their favour.

But in the cold light of day, the fact remains that, with just 83 days to go until polling day, it is the SNP who retain the upper hand.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon took her party’s anti-austerity message to London this week with a clear warning to Westminster politicians who may end up looking to the SNP for post-election support: balance the books yes, but not at the expense of a balanced society.

Latest poll (TNS/ERS) – SNP 41%, Lab 31%, Con 16%, Lib Dem 4%, Others 8%

Ends

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By Chris Young, 3x1 Public Relations, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Scotland