 | 'Blair once said that he would be prepared to pay the blood price for standing shoulder to shoulder with the United States of America. But he hasn't paid the blood price. 14,000 Iraqis, more than 1000 Americans, 66 British soldiers, 69 from other countries, hostages - these are the people who have paid and are still paying Blair's blood price.' SNP leader, Alex Salmond MP, 25 th September 2004. |  |
The SNP shot to the front of the pack last night in the first north-east poll of the election campaign.
But the System Three forecast of 40% support for the nationalists contrasted sharply with an all-Scotland Mori poll published last week showing that backing for the party had plunged to 15%.
The apparent SNP surge in Grampian and Tayside was at the expense of Labour, which sat at 24%, and the Tories, who pulled in 12%. Liberal Democrat support stood at 24%.
It also contrasted with System Three's Scotland-wide poll, which gave Labour 45%, the SNP 23% and the Lib Dems and Tories 14% each.
The north-east poll, conducted for the SNP, suggested the party would gain the Labour-held seats of Aberdeen North, Dundee East and Dundee West and safeguard the marginal SNP seat of Angus on May 5. The results are understood to be in line with a System Three forecast for the Highlands and Islands that the party plans to release this week.
The nationalists claim to be mounting a strong bid for the new constituency of Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey and na h-Eileanan an Iar, formerly the Western Isles. They are also fighting to retain Moray.
Prospective Aberdeen North Labour candidate Frank Doran said: "I am not surprised by these figures because there is a lot of volatility but, if the SNP don't do well in the north-east, which is their heartland, then they would be a completely busted flush. The poll that matters will be on May 5."
Meanwhile, the row over Sir Sean Connery's proposed taped phone message urging Scots to vote for the SNP rumbled on as Mr Salmond attacked "English" information commissioner Richard Thomas for "an attempt to censor the world's most famous Scot".
He cited a Euro-directive that said most Scots "are quite anxious to get a phone call from Sean Connery". Mr Thomas has warned the parties that automated phone calls should be made only to subscribers who have agreed to receive them.
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