Labour man addresses poll prediction in Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

It predicts that the Scottish Nationalists will sweep the board locally in the Scottish Parliament election which will take place on Thursday, May 5.

Last month one of the safest Westminster Labour seats in Scotland fall to the SNP last month.

Stuart McDonald netted 29, 572 votes within a 49,382 turnout .

This represented a 60 per cent vote share which was the third highest in Scotland. In contrast, his nearest rival, Labour’s Gregg McClymont polled 14,820 votes.

Now Labour MSP Mark Griffin is admitting that he can take nothing for granted in Holyrood.

Griffin, the youngest MSP in Holyrood after his election in 2011 as a List MSP, will stand in the first-past-the-post contest next year but admits that it will be a challenge if he is to triumph.

Mr Griffin said: “Opinion poll ratings go up and down but it’s clear the Scottish Labour Party have a lot of work to do in Cumbernauld and Kilsyth.

I was born, went to school, got my first job, got married and will raise a family in our community and I think I’m best placed to stand up for local people.

“The SNP Government has let local people down when it comes to NHS services with no minor injuries unit, and I will be continuing my ongoing campaign to have these vital services restored.”

However SNP candidate and sitting MSP Jamie Hepburn said: “While this poll is encouraging neither I nor the SNP as a party are taking anything for granted.

That said these figures, taken alongside the General Election results in Scotland suggest that more people than ever are turning to the SNP to put their interests first: “I think this shows that people recognise the quality of the SNP’s track record as the Government at Holyrood.”