Poll: Majority support Scots Indyref2 if UK exits EU

THE VOTERS A MAJORITY of participants in an exclusive Herald poll feel Scotland should have a second independence referendum if Britain exits the European Union.

It also found that those who took part overwhelmingly think Brexit should now be binned and not renegotiated.

The survey of 336 Herald audience panel members was conducted yesterday. It came after MPS voted by

432 votes to 202 to reject Theresa May’s negotiated Brexit deal, which set out the terms of Britain’s withdrawal from the EU on March 29.

Nearly three out of four (72.32 per cent) felt Brexit should not now go ahead, just over 70% said it should be stopped, while around two in three (66.17%) did not feel it should even be renegotiated.

And a majority (56.55%) think Scotland should have a vote on whether to remain within the United Kingdom if Britain goes ahead and leaves the EU.

Scotland voted against independence in 2014, but a subsequent referendum on leaving the EU has reignited debate over its long-term future.

The Herald analysis also showed 58.93% were in favour of a second referendum or People’s Vote over Brexit and only slightly fewer (56.38%) were in favour of a general election.

The support for a second independence referendum comes after Nicola Sturgeon suggested details of the timetable for a second Scottish independence referendum would be revealed within “weeks”.

The First Minister, who was at Westminster to meet with SNP MPS, had said an extension of Article 50 and a People’s Vote were the only realistic options to break the Brexit deadlock.

But she added: “I’ll say more about the timing of a referendum in the next matter of weeks.

“I want to see the UK stay in the EU, I think that would be best for the whole of the UK... even when Scotland is independent, that serves our interests best as well. That’s why we’re backing the People’s Vote, the second EU referendum.

“But if that’s not possible, in terms of our wider interests, the chaos and the fiasco of the last couple of years have shown that the worst thing for Scotland is to be thirled to Westminster when it’s making such a mess of things. We’d be far better off in charge of our own affairs.”

The Prime Minister warned at the

The concerns of Scots are, as usual, being completely ignored

start of the week that a no-deal Breixt would fuel demands for a second

Scottish vote.

Addressing MPS to present assurances on the Irish border backstop issued by the EU on Monday, the Prime Minister said that no deal was the “real threat to our Union”.

Herald readers also took the chance to have their say over the current Brexit impasse.

One called Brexit a “complete mess, fabricated by the English Conservatives out of the deep division over Europe that have always existed in the party”.

The reader added: “The concerns of Scots are, as usual, being completely ignored and ridden roughshod over.”

Another said the public was not adequately informed prior to the referendum. The reader added:

“Scotland decidedly voted against leaving. Only now near the deadline have we been aware of the pitfalls.”

Another said: “Scotland should have an independence referendum and negotiate our own relationship with Europe. Brexit is England’s issue.”