Nicola Sturgeon 'Is Most Popular Person In Scotland'

Nicola Sturgeon is the most popular person in Scotland ahead of Andy Murray, Billy Connolly, her predecessor Alex Salmond and the Queen, a major polling analysis has found.

Nicola Sturgeon
Published 2nd Nov 2015

Nicola Sturgeon is the most popular person in Scotland ahead of Andy Murray, Billy Connolly, her predecessor Alex Salmond and the Queen, a major polling analysis has found.

YouGov analysed profile data from around 30,000 Scottish people and found that out of 5,000 celebrities, public figures and representatives of other popular professions in public life Ms Sturgeon is the most beloved person in Scotland''.

The polling firm said it is a remarkable feat for a politician, outperforming national treasures like David Attenborough and Judi Dench''.

YouGov said: Speaking to a party now four times larger than this time last year, Nicola Sturgeon roused respect and adoration from her supporters at the packed SNP conference in October.

Even when she told the hall that a resounding win at next year's Holyrood elections would not be an automatic mandate for a second independence referendum, the crowd withheld criticism, trusting the long-term vision of their First Minister.

She's said she hopes to lead the party into 2021's elections, and the depth of her support, unparalleled by any English politician in recent memory, makes this a real possibility.''

It added: Billy Connolly, third in rank, has a huge level of positivity, but slightly less reach than Andy Murray and far less than Nicola Sturgeon.

Interestingly, alongside Scottish nationalists the British monarchy receives a significant level of positive feeling and reach.

While the top four are Scottish, Frankie Boyle is the only other Scot in the top 20.''

YouGov said actor David Tennant, and politician Charles Kennedy, who died in June, featured in the top 30.

We've also picked out the Scottish historical figures that receive a great deal of positive feeling but far less fame than contemporary public figures.

Fittingly, considering the present-day nationalists' performance, William Wallace tops the list of historical Scots, outdoing any of the living top 20 in positivity.

Biologist Alexander Fleming, industrialist Andrew Carnegie, Labour leader Ramsay MacDonald and Robert the Bruce, King of Scots, make the rest of the top five.''