Labour are on course to be the big winners in June's European Parliament vote and the Liberal Democrats could find themselves losing representation, according to results from an exclusive opinion poll for STV news.
Of the six Scottish seats at stake, Labour would win three, a gain of one, and take 41% of the vote in the process. The SNP was second among the Scots surveyed at 30%, and would retain their two seats. The Tories followed at 13% and the Liberal Democrats 10%. The Green Party was a distant fifth.
The survey of voting intentions was commissioned by STV's Politics Now programme. The European Parliament elections take place on June 4.
Glasgow University Professor Bill Miller said the results were good news for Labour, at a time when they are not receiving a lot of good news.
He said: "The result demonstrates that although Alex Salmond remains Scotland's most popular politician, his party polls less well in a non-Holyrood context.
"The poll confirms and strengthens the Labour lead seen in other Euro polls, while the D'hont formula is delivering what it aims to do - proportionality - giving Labour three of the six seats, the SNP two, the Conservatives one and the Liberal Democrats none, because they poll below the 13% threshold required to win a seat."
The total number of seats goes down to six in June because of European enlargement.
A majority of Labour support came from the Grampians, at 17% of the people who signalled their voting intentions. Fife and Tayside Labour voters were second equal at 15%. SNP supporters were primarily from the Highlands, at 15% of their voting base.
RESOURCES
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The Scottish Opinion poll surveyed 1,043 adults - between March 16-21 - covering an equal number of age groups and proportionally balanced across the local Scottish parliamentary constituencies.
The European election is generally dismissed by many Scots voters. Turnout is expected to be under 30%, after a 24.7% voter response in the 2004 vote. Results would be revealed in Edinburgh on June 8.
A public awareness campaign to urge voters to register and provide them with information on the election is to be launched on April 27.
Last updated: 24 March 2009, 18:52 GMT
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