Indy backing slips
Support for Union rises in wake of Salmond and Sturgeon appearances before committee
A MAJORITY of people in Scotland would vote to remain as part of the UK if an independence referendum was held tomorrow, a poll has found.
The survey of 1015 suggests 46 per cent would vote against Scottish independence, with 43 per cent in favour and 10 per cent undecided.
When unsure voters are excluded, the poll – by research consultancy Savanta ComRes – indicates 52 per cent to 48 per cent in favour of staying in the Union.
The poll is the first since Nicola Sturgeon and Alex Salmond both gave evidence to the Holyrood Inquiry into the unlawful investigation of the former first minister.
It was carried out in the two days after First Minister Sturgeon appeared before the inquiry committee.
It found 35 per cent of respondents said the inquiry was making them less likely to vote for independence, while 16 per cent said it was making them more likely to vote Yes and 41 per cent said it had made no difference.
In addition, 43 per cent said their trust in Sturgeon had fallen due to the inquiry.
Savanta ComRes’s Chris Hopkins said: “Although awareness of the Salmond Inquiry has unsurprisingly increased since December, it’s not to say the story has had a great impact on its protagonists.
“Those who say they trust both Nicola Sturgeon and Alex Salmond more and less are now increasing by virtually the same proportions.
“With only a fifth of 2014 No voters less likely to support independence because of the saga, its impact on the First Minister doesn’t look to be catastrophic – for now.”
An SNP spokeswoman said: “With Scotland on Sunday/ Savanta ComRes stating that this poll is not comparable to previous polls and has not been properly weighted, it should be treated with caution.
“The SNP is looking forward to the election campaign, where we will work to win support from across Scotland to continue to protect people from Covid, support Scotland’s NHS, create jobs and make sure we recover from the pandemic, Scotland’s future is decided by the people who live here, not Boris Johnson’s Tory Party. That is what people across the country are focused on and that is what we will do.”
Sturgeon was quizzed for almost seven hours by the committee last Wednesday about her role in the botched investigation.
She told MSPs she “would never have wanted to ‘get’ Alex Salmond” and condemned the “absurd suggestion that anyone acted with malice or as part of a plot” against her predecessor.