Majority support Scottish independence in new poll

A new poll has found the majority of the country now support Scottish independence.

A new YouGov poll, for The Times Scotland, found that 53% of the country - excluding "don't knows'' - would vote in favour of Scottish independence.

This is the fourth survey in a row to put the independence vote ahead of remain, and the highest level of support for Scottish independence ever recorded by YouGov.

The newest poll also marks a two-point increase in support for Scotland leaving the union, compared to YouGov's last poll in January.

Professor Sir John Curtice, of Strathclyde University, said that although the UK Government and the Conservatives north and south of the border have been "stirred into action'' by the warning signs about the future of Britain, they will be hampered by the struggles of their main opposition in the House of Commons.

He added: "UK ministers are making frequent forays north while the party's Scottish leader, Jackson Carlaw, has made way for a successor who, it is hoped, will be better able to reverse the nationalist tide.

"Yet this frenetic activity hides a strategic dilemma for the Conservatives - they are unlikely to be able to save the Union on their own.

"They will need the help from Labour - but Sir Keir Starmer's party currently looks like the weak link in the unionist chain.''

YouGov surveyed 1,142 Scottish adults, aged 16 or older, and found that 52% of voters believe that Scotland is heading in the "right direction'', a 20-point increase on the last time the question was asked roughly a year ago.

By contrast, just 26% thought the country is going in the wrong way, compared to 41% last August.

Both Sir Keir and Boris Johnson have said that they do not believe there should be another referendum in the near future, and Downing Street has briefed that the Prime Minister will not countenance another vote even if the SNP wins a majority in next May's Holyrood elections.

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