Scotland is likely to gain independence in the coming ten years, the majority of voters in the UK believe, according to a series of surveys.
A four-country survey, the Sunday Times commissioned, based on separate polls in Scotland, Northern Ireland, England, and Wales shows that the government is facing challenges in the post-Brexit United Kingdom.
In Scotland, 49% backed independence and 44% were against it.
In Northern Ireland, 47% wish to remain in the UK against 42% in favour of a United Ireland, but then 51% support a referendum on a United Ireland within the next five years and 44% are against one.
In Wales, 23% backed leaving the UK while 31% supported a referendum.
UK completed its separation from the EU at 23:00 GMT, 1 January 2021 after more than a four-year delay caused by negotiations on the post-Brexit trade agreement, which was hailed by the British government but criticised, among others, by Ireland's Foreign Minister Simon Coveney as well as Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who said that “Scotland will be back soon”.
Nicola Sturgeon previously signalled that a second Scottish independence referendum may take place after the Scottish elections in May, however, Prime Minister Boris Johnson rejected any such calls, stressing that the previous vote had already resolved the issue.
Scotland already held its independence plebiscite back in September 2014, which failed with 55 percent of voters expressing their desire to remain in the United Kingdom. In the June 2016 Brexit referendum, however, 62 percent of Scottish voters were in favour of remaining in the EU, although this was not enough to prevent the Leave campaign from winning.