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%.

In all cases the SNP is in a stronger poll position than at this point prior to the 2007 election.

The IPSOS MORI poll also shows a positive approval rating for Alex Salmond as Scotland's First Minister with 53% of Scots endorsing his performance, while only 33% were satisfied with David Cameron.

SNP Depute Leader and Scotland's Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

"This poll shows the SNP is running neck and neck with Labour ahead of May's Holyrood elections.

"The SNP Government is proud of the socially progressive polices that we have already introduced, such as abolishing prescription charges, ending tolls on the Tay and Forth bridges, restoring free education by abolishing the Graduate Endowment Fee, freezing the Council Tax for three successive years, reversing Labour's decision to close A & E hospitals in Monklands and Ayr, introducing the Small Business Bonus Scheme, and putting 1,000 additional police officers on Scotland's streets.

"With a Tory - Lib Dem government pushing Labour's devastating cuts agenda even further and a Labour party out of power and increasingly out of touch, we are confident that, come May, voters will see that it is the SNP as a party and a Government that can and will put Scotland's interests and the priorities of the people of Scotland first.

"The positive approval ratings for Alex Salmond, against the extremely negative reaction to David Cameron, shows that, as Scotland deals with the impact of a Tory Government in London, voters continue to trust Alex Salmond to govern in Scotland's best interests."

Note:

1. In a YouGov poll for the SNP of 1212 people on 17th and 18th August the results for the Scottish Parliament constituency vote were

• Lab 36
  
• SNP 35
  
• Lib 12
  
• Con 14
  
• Other 3

2. An Ipsos Mori poll of 1013 respondence between the 16th and 19th August showed:

• Labour 37
  
• SNP 34
  
• Tory 11
  
• LD 13

3. Approval ratings contained within the Mori poll show that 53% are satisfied with Alex Salmond's performance as First Minister and that he has positive rating of 16 points, while David Cameron has a negative rating of minus 15 with only 33% of Scots poll satisfied with his performance.

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4. The last Scottish opinion poll by TNS BMRB between July 28 and August 3rd had the SNP 16 points behind Labour on 31% of the vote