scotland's First Minister is threatening to use Labour to lock the Tories out of power, after an opinion poll shows support for her party dropping.

Speaking during a BBC interview, Nicola Sturgeon has called for a 'progressive alliance' with Labour in the likely event of a hung parliament after the General Election on June 8th.

Despite her demand for a coalition of progressive policies, she doubts Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn's credibility as a future prime minister.

Yet a Panelbase survey, commissioned by The Sunday Times, discovered the Scottish Conservatives' support has soared ahead to 33 per cent.

This represents an increase of a significant 18 points from the 2015 General Election.

The results of this poll, if translated into votes, would enable the Scottish Tories to gain 10 seats at the expense of the Scottish National Party.

That would represent a huge blow to the nationalists, who gained 56 seats at the last general election at the expense of the main parties.

It would also weaken Ms Sturgeon's independence bid and help to increase the Conservatives' majority, paralysing her of the chance of choosing the next UK government in the midst of a hung parliament.

'Ensure Scotland's voice is heard in Westminster'

But the First Minister said that the reality is the Conservatives will win with an enormous majority.

She said she wants to ensure Scotland's voice is heard in Westminster by persuading Scots to vote for the SNP.

The Conservatives' campaign has warned of a 'coalition of chaos' between Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Nationalists should they fail to achieve an overall majority.

Ms Sturgeon said there are 10 days left before polling day to alert Scotland to the threat Tory policies pose to jobs and struggling households, and to stop Tory values.

'Work, work and work some more'

Despite her pleasure at the Scottish Tories' triumph in this recent opinion poll, their party leader, Ruth Davidson, warned against complacency, especially with Ms Sturgeon's threats of blocking a Conservative government.

She urged party members to 'work, work and work some more' after other surveys suggested her party are on course to land substantial gains in the Scottish countryside, particularly Westminster SNP leader Angus Robertson's Moray constituency.

The Scottish Conservatives are likely to achieve their best electoral result since the 1970 General Election, where the then Tory leader Edward Heath became prime minister.

The only MP they have for now is David Mundell, who is also the Government's Scottish Secretary.

He has been a Member of Parliament for Dumfriesshire, Cyldesdale and Tweeddale since 2005.

But this Sunday Times' survey demonstrates the Scottish Tories would gain 12 seats, 10 from the SNP and one from Labour.

The recent poll indicates only 44 per cent of people may be willing to vote for the nationalists, which represents a 6 per cent drop from the 2015 General Election.

But the SNP would still manage to secure 45 out of 59 Scottish seats, leaving them in a powerful position to decide upon the next British government should there be a hung parliament, as the party's leader anticipates.

Equally, it would also strengthen Prime Minister Theresa May's claims that a second independence referendum is not necessary as the Brexit negotiations commence soon.

'We said no, we meant it'

The results were produced after Ms Davidson launched her recent election poster, with the slogan: 'We said no, we meant it.'

Polling expert Professor John Curtice said the Panelbase poll showed the Tories deprived the SNP of five percentage points.

He said No voters from the 2014 Scottish Referendum and Scottish Leave voters were backing Ms Davidson's party, with the latter's support for the Tories increasing from 33 per cent to 55 per cent since September last year.

Derek Mackay, the SNP's business representative, said only his party has the strength to oppose a 'hard' Brexit, oppose austerity and guard Scotland's best interests.

He added he will not let the Conservatives get away with destroying Scotland.