SNP in crisis as police investigation sparks collapse in support for Nicola Sturgeon's successor

The SNP, which has been the largest party in the Scottish Parliament 2007, saw its support fall from 48 per cent in 2021’s Holyrood election to just 38 per cent.

Labour’s support jumped from 22 per cent in 2021 to 30 per cent.

Despite recently replacing Labour as the opposition party in the Scottish Parliament, the Conservatives have also been on the backfoot in recent months as support dropped to just 16 per cent.

The SNP’s fall in popularity could see them lose 13 seats in Holyrood and 14 seats in Westminster, The Times’ seat projections have suggested.

Sir Keir Starmer’s party could gain 11 seats in Holyrood and 13 seats in Westminster.

The Tory Party could lose eight seats in the Scottish Parliament but retain its six Scottish seats in the House of Commons.

YouGov’s opinion poll provided an even more damning assessment of Yousaf’s first few days as First Minister.

The survey found a plurality of Scots see the 38-year-old as incompetent, weak and out of touch.

It also revealed Yousaf is only marginally more popular than Rishi Sunak north of the border.

Despite the former Scottish Health Secretary’s attempts to “reset” the agenda at Bute House, respondents claimed he is doing a bad job by a margin of 44 per cent to 19 per cent.

Yousaf has come under pressure over the SNP’s financial situation and even revealed the 89-year-old party still owes money to Sturgeon’s husband Peter Murrell.

Murrell, who served as the party’s chief executive from 1999 until his resignation last month, handed the SNP a loan of 107,620 in June 2021.

Sturgeon’s husband was arrested by Police Scotland earlier in April over the force’s Operation Branchform probe into SNP finances.

He was questioned for 11 hours before being released without charge pending further investigation.

Police Scotland launched its investigation into SNP finances in July 2021 after receiving complaints about how donations for an independence referendum campaign were being used.

Midlothian North & Musselburgh MSP Colin Beattie resigned as SNP treasurer after he was arrested on Tuesday.

Despite taking a hit in the opinion polls, the SNP has time to recover with no general election expected until the autumn of 2024 and no Holyrood poll until 2026.

Polling guru Sir John Curtice claimed last month’s leadership contest and Police Scotland’s ongoing investigation had “taken their toll on SNP support”.

However, the University of Strathclyde professor also told The Times that the SNP is “far from being in electoral meltdown”.