‘Bring it on’: SNP and Scottish Labour welcome July general election

The SNP and Scottish Labour say they are ready for the surprise summer general election, welcoming the 4 July date announced by Rishi Sunak.

Labour is enjoying a steady poll lead over the SNP in Scotland, and is hoping it can win between 20 to 30 seats from its rivals north of the border.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said the election was “an opportunity that we cannot afford to miss”, adding that the country was “crying out for change”.

A Scottish Labour source told i there were no fears that a potentially depressed turnout – with Scotland’s school holidays set to begin at the start of July – would hinder the party’s chances.

“It works for us. We’re ready. Bring it on,” they said.

SNP sources also said they were largely happy at the timing of the vote, which will be the first summer general election since 1945.

The party suffered from a major polling slump under Humza Yousaf, who quit last month after his sudden decision to scrap the coalition deal with the Scottish Greens sparked fresh turmoil for his leadership.

There are hopes that the new leadership team of John Swinney and his deputy Kate Forbes – now freed from being tied to Green policies – can spark an upturn over the next six weeks.

SNP MP Douglas Chapman told i: “Swinney and Forbes have made a bright start to their government re-set, so it will do SNP prospects no harm at all.”

Mr Swinney told reporters on Wednesday that he was “looking forward enormously” to the general election.

The SNP leader said it was a chance to both “remove the Tory government” and “put Scotland first”.

But he accused Mr Sunak of “an act of disrespect” by deciding to hold an election during Scotland’s school holidays.

Despite Mr Swinney’s words, Professor John Curtice said the SNP “will not welcome this early election”.

The elections expert, who is a professor of politics at the University of Strathclyde, told the BBC: “John Swinney is hoping to turn things around [but] at the moment the SNP is running about five or six points behind Labour in the polls.”

A YouGov survey published earlier this week gave Labour an increased, 10-point lead over the SNP, and put the party on its highest vote share since the Scottish independence referendum in 2014.

Prof Curtice has said those results would give Labour 35 MPs in Scotland, up from its current two. It would leave the SNP with 11 seats, down from 43. The Tories would win six seats, and the Lib Dems five.

i understands that Scottish Conservatives have had election preparations in place if Mr Sunak decided to go to the polls before the autumn.

Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross insisted that his party was “ready to take the fight to the SNP and beat the nationalists in crucial seats”.

“This election in Scotland is a huge opportunity to defeat the SNP and put an end to their obsession with independence for good.”

The Scottish Liberal Democrats also believe they can make some gains in Scotland at the SNP’s expense. Leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said: “The Conservatives and the SNP have taken people for granted and made a mess of our country for too long.”