David Maddox: The numbers game (3) - Tory response

It seems that the one guaranteed way to wind up people and get comments is to run pieces on polls. In response to the briefing below from the SNP on the recent Yougov poll, the Tories have quickly responded (nice to know they are reading the Steamie), to point out that the Presiding Officer, Alex Fergusson (pictured), may not be in such danger as the numbers suggest.
"Let's not forget that, going into the 2007 elections, Alex Fergusson was defending a majority of just 99 against the SNP. Galloway & Upper Nithsdale (GUN) was their number one target seat," said the Tory spindoctor. "And in a year where the SNP made significant advances…Alex (Fergusson) increased his majority to 3,333! National trends don't always take into account local politics and personal popularity.
"Interestingly, to back up what I'm saying, did you know that the SNP's top three target seats in 2007 were GUN, Cumbernauld & Kilsyth, and Tweeddale, Ettrickdale & Lauderdale. Of those three, how many did they win? None. Exactly ;-)"
As I may have mentioned before, it all goes to show the only reliable poll is the one on election day.