Johnson dismisses referendum talk despite polling
Over half of Scots would vote in favour of Scottish independence if a referendum were to be held tomorrow, according to an opinion poll published today.
According to the poll by Savanta ComRes, 57 per cent of Scots said they would vote in favour of independence, as opposed to 43 per cent who would vote against.
If the referendum was to take place, the pro-independence Scottish National Party (SNP) would win eight seats more than it did in the 2016 election, taking 71 seats of 129 in Scottish Parliament.
If the SNP has a strong performance in the next election on May 6, party leader Nicola Sturgeon will likely claim a mandate for another independence referendum, according to newspaper The Scotsman today.
The poll, published in the same newspaper, was based on responses from 1,016 people in Scotland between 8 and 13 January.
Johnson dismisses second referendum
Prime Minister Boris Johnson recently dismissed the need for another referendum, after Scottish voters voted against independence in 2014. However, the UK’s handling of Brexit and Covid-19 has strengthened support for the SNP, according to observers.