The latest survey of the attitude of businesses to the Scottish Government surely makes for miserable reading for the SNP.

The findings are stark.

Only 9% of firms north of the Border agree that the Scottish Government understands the business environment in Scotland, compared with 64% of businesses that disagree, according to the survey from the University of Strathclyde’s Fraser of Allander Institute.

These percentages match those in a survey published by Fraser of Allander in August last year.

The latest survey, of more than 350 firms, was conducted in August and September, and published last week.

The institute asked firms about their relationship with the Scottish Government as part of an annual assessment following the SNP’s “New Deal for Business” launch in April 2023, under former First Minister Humza Yousaf.

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The hope was that this “new deal” would help improve the Scottish Government’s relations with the business community.

However, the latest survey shows just 6% of businesses agree that the Scottish Government engages effectively with their sector, down from 8% in 2023. Meanwhile, 68% of firms disagree, up from 67% in last year’s survey and suggesting a marginal worsening of perceptions of Scottish Government engagement.

Fraser of Allander noted that “a slightly better” 19% of firms believe they can influence Scottish Government policy if new announcements affect their business. However, 46% disagree with this statement, up from 39% last year, with Fraser of Allander saying this reflects “a growing frustration among businesses regarding their ability to have a say in policymaking”.

The latest analysis highlights differences across sectors, with construction and finance........

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