Thread by @DeanMThomson

Here is one for the polling lovers.

Let's try explain why the SNP are being so personal in their attacks on defectors to Alba; and what is worrying them.
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1. Even before Alba launched their party, it was touch and go if the SNP would even secure the necessary extra list MSPs they craved to land a majority.

You can see, even before Alba launched, the SNP list support had been dropping significantly since August last year.
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2. Constituency polling numbers over roughly the same time period have also been dropping.

SNP's fear that Alba dog-&-pony show could further erode SNP support on constituency. Divided parties lose elections, Alba stripping SNP of strategic control of media narrative.
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3. Add to mix the damage to Ms Sturgeon's own approval numbers because of the Inquiry/Hamilton report bun-fighting with Salmond.

Looing at the numbers below another six weeks of a Jacobean revenge-tragedy Sturgeon vs Salmond could inflict further damage to her numbers*
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*Full disclosure, these polls asked opinions of British voters as a whole & not Scotland restricted. However, the less frequent Scotland only satisfaction/approval data also indicates a drop in FMs numbers. But this UK wide data is more regular & shows a consistent picture.
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Dropping constituency polling, dropping list polling & dropping Sturgeon personal numbers...all before Alba launch.

You can imagine how frustrated the FM is that the Hamilton Report hasn't been the 'grand reset' moment she was craving.
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Sources:

Ballotbox Scotland:
ballotbox.scot/scottish-parli…

Leadership approval opinion polling (links to the individual polling sources inside):
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leadershi…
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For the interested:
➡️Why Salmond's intervention could spell disaster for the SNP, and Nicola Sturgeon in particular.

https://twitter.com/DeanMThomson/status/1375521860725669897?s=20