Support for Independence among Scots has apparently dropped, according to a new YouGov poll.
The new data reveals that 56 percent of respondents said that they would vote ‘No’ in any upcoming referendum while 44 percent said that they would vote ‘Yes.’
However, the pollsters removed those people who responded ‘don’t know’ or said that they would not vote. Overall, and if accurate, the poll demonstrates a slight climb for the 'No' side which, during the September 2014 independence referendum, won with 55 percent of the total vote.
There were those, however, who felt sceptical of the result's claims.
YouGov carried out a similar poll in September of this year, which found that 49 percent of respondents said that they wanted to leave the UK, while 51 percent said that they would vote against the move. At that time, pro-independence campaigners pointed to the result as sure-fire sign that sentiment was shifting toward the 'Yes' campaign. The latest results however are likely to pour cold water on that.
Moreover, the data also reveals a slump in the number of Scots who think that an independence referendum should be held within the next five years. Overall, 42 percent said that they supported the move, a decrease from August of this year when 45 percent said that they thought it was a good idea. 48 percent said that they were against it up from 44 percent in August.
Interestingly, more people also said that they felt Scottish independence within the next 10 years is more likely if Boris Johnson stays in No.10 following next week’s election than if Jeremy Corbyn won. Over 37 percent of respondents said that Boris Johnson staying on as Prime Minister would boost the likelihood of a second referendum, while 32 percent said that Jeremy Corbyn becoming prime minister would make an Independence referendum more likely within the next decade.
The poll was carried out using a data sample from 1,002 Scottish adults over a period from December 3 2019 to December 6.