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Polls in Scotland show the SNP faces a real challenge in the upcoming general election, with some suggesting it could lose half its seats.

But the party’s leader in Westminster, Stephen Flynn, told Sky News it was “an exciting thing about the election”.

“The polls are swinging one way and then the other. And as we know, the most important poll will take place on July 4.”

The SNP, he said, wanted to talk about the cost of living crisis, energy bills and economic growth.

The SNP’s top priority is to “end Tory austerity” and hit both sides for what the Institute for Fiscal Studies has called a “conspiracy of silence” around the real sums of money needed by the public sector in the coming years.

But more broadly, Flynn said: “We would like to see Scotland eventually become an independent country so that we don’t have to rely on Westminster to try to improve people’s lives.”

Asked what the SNP’s mandate would be if it lost half its seats, he said it would be because it “won the election”.

He hit out at Labor in Scotland, saying they “take for granted” their lead in the polls, and said: “Obviously we’ve had a slight dip in the polls, but I’m confident that with the positive message we sent first in Scotland we can get over the line and back again.” act on behalf of the people of Scotland.”

Pressed by Sky’s Kay Burley, he said they were “trying to keep every seat we have and also win all the seats from the other parties”.