Scottish Tories may be on course for their all-time worst general election result - beating even the previous record low set in 2015 under Ruth Davidson

Although we're primarily wrapped up in the SNP-Labour battle for seats, it's important we still set aside some time between now and polling day to enjoy the predicament of the Scottish Conservative party.  It wasn't that long ago that the Tory vote seemed to be inexplicably firming up in Scotland and we were worried the SNP would really struggle against them in marginal seats. There were a couple of polls last October that had the Tories in the low 20s and the SNP in the low 30s, which would have been a recipe for calamity.  Even a few weeks ago, the Tories were regularly polling around 17%.

But the fears seem to be easing now.  The last eight polls have had the Tories in the 13-15% range with 14% being the most common figure.  And although Farage's return as Reform UK leader is not the whole explanation for that, it does seem to be a significant factor because the downturn coincided with his comeback and there has been a corresponding increase in the Reform vote, reaching a new peak of 8% in yesterday's Survation poll.

This has led to a rather amusing anti-Farage meltdown among the diehard unionist nutters on Twitter such as Effie Deans and "Erudite For Unity", who are demanding Reform UK voters must dutifully trot off back to the Tories to "stop the SNP".  I'm not sure anyone will really be listening at this stage, though, because anger against the Tories among right-wingers seems to be just as great as among left-wingers - although not necessarily for the same reasons.  

14% would be the lowest Scottish Tory vote share in the democratic era, beating the previous record of 14.9% which was amusingly set under Ruth Davidson's leadership in 2015.  A total wipeout of Tory seats is also now conceivable.  Yesterday's WeThink MRP projection has the Tories losing every single seat they hold, with four going to the SNP, although there are two seats where the Labour vote swells enough to jump from third or fourth place to first.  

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I've previewed the constituency race in Lothian East for The National - you can read the article HERE.