Rallying cry from SNP as Yes vote slides again
aLEX salmond i s under pressure to deliver the ‘speech of his life’ tomorrow as polls show his independence campaign is faltering.
The First Minister is in aberdeen for the snP’s final conference before september’s referendum, where supporters will be disappointed that movement towards a Yes vote has stalled.
a survation poll has handed the pro-Union better Together campaign a comfortable ten-point lead, with backing for independence down two points since last month to only 37 per cent. support for a no vote is steady on 47 per cent.
a study for Panelbase, which is the snP’s favourite pollster, puts the Yes vote on 40 per cent – down one point since a poll published at
‘Opportunity Alex
cannot waste’
the weekend. The no vote slipped by one point to 45 per cent.
Panelbase also found that even if scots accept nationalist claims that their family would be better off, only slightly over half of adults would vote Yes.
ahead of Mr salmond’s speech, his deputy nicola sturgeon will use the conference today to appeal to Labour voters to back the breakup of britain.
around 800,000 Labour voters in the Central belt are thought to be key to the referendum result and Miss sturgeon will claim a Yes vote could rejuvenate the snP’s rivals.
Her plea comes as elections expert Professor John Curtice of strathclyde University said the l atest poll r esults give pro - independence campaign leaders a reason to ‘pause for thought’.
He added: ‘This [survation poll] is the second poll in a row to show the winter’s increase in Yes support may have come to a halt. snP activ- ists in aberdeen this weekend will be hoping Mr salmond gives the speech of his life. It is not an opportunity he can afford to waste.’
better Together leader alistair Darling said: ‘It’s no surprise that scots are rejecting alex salmond’s negative and divisive campaign when he won’t tell us what would replace the pound or how our public services would be funded.’
but Yes scotland chief executive blair Jenkins said: ‘ These are extremely encouraging findings, which show that the referendum is wide open. On these new (Panelbase) figures, Yes just needs a three-point swing to move ahead – and we are very confident of achieving success in september.’
Miss sturgeon will say today: ‘To every Labour voter, I say this: the Yes campaign is not asking you to leave your party. It offers you the chance to get your party back.
‘an independent scotland will not mean the end of Labour but might mean a rejuvenated Labour Party, free to make its own decisions, a Labour Party that no longer needs to dance to a Westminster tune.’
Labour constitutional spokesman Drew smith said: ‘Perhaps nicola sturgeon would be better concentrating her efforts on the one in three snP voters who don’t believe in separation.’