Alex Salmond’s newly-founded Alba party could cost the SNP its majority at Holyrood due to voters choosing it instead, a new poll suggests.
The Savanta ComRes poll for The Scotsman predicts that the SNP will return 64 MSPs, one short of a majority, while the Alba Party will return none, with 3% of the list vote.
The survey projects that the SNP would return a constituency vote of 49% and a list vote of 40%.
The number of Alba voters questioned in the survey of 1,007 Scottish adults was “extremely small”, however about 6% of people who voted SNP in 2016 said they would vote for Alba in May.
READ MORE: Latest poll 'good news' for Alba party as Holyrood elections approach
Meanwhile, 4% of those who plan to vote SNP next month said they will choose SNP for their constituency vote and Alba on the list.
Analysis of the poll projects that if all Alba voters reverted to choosing First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s party the SNP would have a majority of three MSPs.
However, it predicts a pro-independence majority of 74 MSPs as it projects that 10 Scottish Green MSPs will be elected.
The poll predicts that the Scottish Conservatives will lose six seats, returning 25 MSPs, while Scottish Labour is predicted to return 23, one down on 2016.
The Scottish Liberal Democrats are predicted to gain one seat and return seven MSPs.
The poll also found that support for Scottish independence was split.
It found that if an independence referendum were to be held tomorrow, 45% would vote yes and the same proportion no, with the remainder undecided.
READ MORE: New poll says Alex Salmond's Alba Party set for 3 per cent support
The poll was carried out between April 2 and 7.
It comes after a separate poll on Wednesday predicted that the SNP is forecast to win a majority of seats at the Scottish Parliament election on May 6.
The Ipsos Mori poll for STV found more than half (53%) of the respondents who are registered to vote and are at least 9/10 likely to do so intend to chose an SNP candidate in their constituency next month.
This is a rise of one percentage point from the previous Ipsos Mori poll for STV in February.
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