New poll shows majority for Scottish independence

LONDON

A majority of Scottish people are in now favour of a second independence referendum and support Scotland becoming an independent country, a new survey on Monday has revealed.

The poll was undertaken by House of Lords member Michael Ashcroft a week after prime minister Boris Johnson made his first visit to Scotland.

The survey, which collected views from 1019 people, found that 47 per cent of Scotts believe there should be a second independence referendum with 45 per cent disagreeing.

When asked if Scotland should become an independent country, 52 per cent of respondents said yes while 43 per cent said no.

"This is a phenomenal poll for the independence movement — showing that more and more people think it’s time that Scotland took our own decisions and shaped our own future as a fair, prosperous, outward looking nation” Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said in a statement.

"A broken Westminster system means Scotland is being dragged towards a No Deal Brexit, regardless of the heavy price we’ll pay for lost jobs and lower living standards” she added.

The new poll shows the first lead for independence since 2017 and the biggest lead since 2016 when the U.K. voted to leave the EU. Overall, a majority of Scotts believe that if a second independence referendum were to be held, then Scotland would become independent.

During his visit to Scotland last week, Johnson said that a second independence referendum would dishonour the decision the Scottish people made in the 2014 independence referendum when 55 % voted to remain in the U.K. and that its result should be respected.

Sturgeon, however, has argued that the circumstances Scotland faces today are very different to those in 2014.

Last week, she wrote to the prime minister, informing him that she will give Scotland a second choice on whether they would like to become independent or not and will introduce a second independence referendum legislation in the Scottish parliament after the summer recess.

Scotland voted overwhelmingly to remain in the EU during the 2016 EU referendum with 62 per cent of the population chasing to remain in the bloc and 38 per cent opting out.