In Scotland, a changing of the guard is near. But while Hearts are set to break the duopoly of Celtic and Rangers this season, there is no sign of the SNP yielding its iron grip on power. This, though, is a triumph less of technical brilliance than a series of own goals by Labour’s team captain.

Facing a stagnant economy and middling public services, Scots are being asked at next week’s Holyrood elections to answer the oldest question in politics: ‘Who’s to blame?’ The answer, it seems, is ‘not the SNP’.

If Starmer is to be felled in the coming weeks, vengeful Scots will be leading the charge

If Starmer is to be felled in the coming weeks, vengeful Scots will be leading the charge

The nationalists have governed Scotland for nearly 20 years; Labour has been in power in Westminster for little more than 20 months. Yet polls suggest that voters are more willing to heap blame on Keir Starmer for their problems. The SNP currently enjoys a double-digit lead, with Labour’s Scottish leader, Anas Sarwar, now struggling to retain second place. ‘It’s the old story of UK Labour,’ says one aide, reflecting on his party’s decline since July 2024. ‘Defeat from the jaws of victory.’

SNP leader John Swinney, a former management consultant, has performed a decent corporate turnaround in two years as First Minister. He has tried to scrub the barnacles from the boat, ridding the SNP of its baggage on gender and social policy. The economy and global security have long been his opponents’ strongest cards, so Swinney is making this campaign about energy independence and grocery caps, while also tying it back to the constitutional question.

His pitch is unashamedly........

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