For the fourth survey in a row, support for independence among Scottish voters has been found to be greater than support for staying in the UK.
A recent YouGov poll found that 47% of Scottish respondents stated they would vote “Yes” if the question was whether or not Scotland should be an independent nation.
Since a prior survey in October, this number has increased by four percentage points.
In contrast, just 42% of respondents to the most recent poll agreed that Scotland should continue to be a part of the UK.
Since the October survey, this number has decreased by three percentage points.
8% of respondents to this month’s survey stated they would not vote, were unsure, or had no choice.
However, when these people were taken out of the equation, support for independence rose to 53%, compared to 47% who preferred to keep the Union.
The Times’ YouGov poll is the fourth in a row to demonstrate that more people favor independence than want to stay in the UK.
It comes after surveys conducted by Find Out Now, Ipsos, and Redfield & Wilton Strategies.
Following First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s Supreme Court loss, all four polls were conducted.
The UK’s top justices decided on November 23 that Westminster must provide consent before the Scottish Parliament can pass legislation calling for another independence vote.
Ms. Sturgeon’s attempt to split up the UK was severely hampered by the decision, but she has since asserted that the next general election would serve as a “de facto” vote on Scottish independence.
More over half (52%) of respondents stated they did not believe that the majority of votes cast for pro-independence parties in Scotland’s general election represented a mandate for independence.
23% of SNP supporters had this opinion as well.
In contrast, 39% of respondents said that a majority of parties advocating independence in the general election would constitute a call for the UK to be split apart.
One in nine voters expressed uncertainty.
This month’s survey, according to polling expert Professor Sir John Curtice of Strathclyde University, constituted the equal highest pro-independence result ever noted by YouGov.
The most recent time it was at that level was in August 2020, when Ms. Sturgeon was regularly conducting news briefings to discuss the Covid situation.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was forewarned by Sir John that he could need to take more action in addition to his ongoing opposition to a new independence vote.
“On this basis, merely saying ‘no’ to another referendum does not appear like a realistic long-term strategy for retaining popular support for the Union,” the speaker said.
1,090 adults 16 and older were surveyed by YouGov between December 6 and December 9.