New figures show the SNP is closing the gap with Labour in the opinion polls.

Two polls conducted in the last week - one by YouGov for the SNP and the other by IPSOS MORI put the party neck and neck with Labour.

The YouGov poll for the SNP  puts the party on 35% with Labour on 36%. While the Ipsos Mori poll conducted at the same time showed the SNP on 34% to Labour's 37%.

A poll conducted by YouGov for the SNP shows overwhelmingly that people in Scotland support the position that the decision on the Lockerbie bomber Abdel Basset Al Megrahi, who was released from prison on compassionate grounds, was made for the right reasons, that the Scottish Government were right to refuse requests to explain the decision to the US Senate, and that it was right that Scotland’s Justice Secretary made the decision.

Responding to the interception of an aid ship bound for Gaza by Israeli forces which according to reports has left more than 10 people dead and to the news that there are atleast three Scots on the ship SNP MSP for Govan and Scotland’s Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: "I wish to express my deep sadness at the news of the loss of life upon the peace flotilla headed towards Gaza.