Boost’ in favour of independence

0 Nicola Sturgeon wants a standalone deal with the EU deal was “deliverable, workable or required.”

Today’s research finds almost two-thirds (62 per cent) of Scots believe trade and immigration rules should be the same in Scotland as they are in the rest of UK, suggesting Scottish views on Brexit are in line with the UK.

But Scots are more willing to accept freedom of movement if it means keeping free trade, the poll of 859 people between 5 February and 2 March found.

The research found 93 per cent of Scots are in favour of maintaining free trade with the European Union after Brexit, slightly higher than the 88 per cent across Britain as whole who support this. And 64 per cent of Scottish voters want EU immigrants to be treated in the same way as non-eu immigrants, only slightly lower than the 68 per cent of Britons who say this.

Professor John Curtice, Senior Research Fellow at Natcen, said: “On immigration in particular voters in Scotland seem to be more in tune with the stance taken by the UK government than that adopted by the Scottish Government.

“Indeed, it seems that even amongst those who voted Yes to independence in September 2014 there is a limited appetite for having a more liberal regime on EU migration in Scotland than there is in England and Wales.

“If this picture is correct it is far from clear that concerns about Brexit are likely to change the minds of many voters about the merits or otherwise of independence – so long, of course, as the UK government succeeds in delivering both free trade and immigration control.”

The most recent Yougov poll found 57 per cent of Scots opposed independence, with 43 per cent in favour.