The SNP has received a poll boost ahead of its spring conference in Aberdeen with support for the party at Westminster rising to 40%.

The 4% increase in support since January could give the SNP an additional eight MPs if there was another general election, according to the YouGov survey.

However, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has suffered a two-point drop in her personal popularity ratings, taking her to -2, meaning more people think she is doing badly than well.

By contrast, Ruth Davidson is the only senior politician in the UK with a positive approval rating, on 11.

Support for the Scottish Conservatives at Westminster has also risen by 4% to 27%, with Davidson's party retaking second place from Scottish Labour.

But these voting intentions would actually see the Tories drop two seats from 13 to 11 due to the SNP's 13-point lead, going by the projections.

Labour, meanwhile, has dropped 5% to 23% which would leave the party with a sole MP, down from seven.

The YouGov poll for The Times Scotland spoke to more than 1000 Scots at the start of June.

Under Holyrood voting intentions, the SNP would be projected to lose nine seats despite a similar rise in projected constituency vote share, up 3% to 41%.

This model would see the Scottish Greens pick up three seats and Labour, the Lib Dems and the Tories bag two each.

The figures come as Scotland's governing party begins its spring conference in Aberdeen on Friday, where the new SNP depute leader will be announced.

The party recently published its report into the economic prospects for an independent Scotland after nearly two years of work by the Growth Commission.

Sturgeon said the 354-page report would "restart the debate" on Scottish independence amid rising grassroots campaigning on the issue.

According to the YouGov survey, Scottish independence has the support of 45% of voters - the same number which backed the proposition in 2014.

Support for an independence referendum in the next five years stands at 40%, with 52% opposed and 8% unsure.