A blow for Nicola Sturgeon’s independence referendum? Poll reveals 57 per cent of Scottish voters back remaining in the UK

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Nicola Sturgeon's plans for another independence referendum look like they've taken a knock, as a new poll reveals support for remaining in the UK is at a two-year high.

Sturgeon announced on Monday that she will seek a second referendum on the issue. The Scottish first minister will go to MSPs next week to seek approval for a referendum between the autumn of 2018 and spring of 2019.

"The Scottish government's mandate for offering this choice is beyond doubt," Sturgeon said.

Read more: How the City reacted to news of a second #IndyRef

A poll by YouGov for the Times revealed 57 per cent of Scottish voters currently back staying in the union. This is the highest level of support recorded for two and a half years, with less people backing independence than in the last referendum.

Scotland voted 45 – 55 to remain part of the UK in 2014, but the issue came back to the forefront of the political agenda after the EU referendum, in which the majority of Scots voted to Remain.

Sturgeon made a dig at Theresa May on Twitter yesterday, hitting out at claims the Prime Minister was considering setting a condition that the SNP must win an outright majority at the 2021 Holyrood elections. 

Read more: May 2, Sturgeon nil: The SNP has no case for a second referendum

The independence referendum is part of Sturgeon's attempt to keep Scotland in the EU, however, a Spanish minister warned earlier this week that Scotland must “join the queue” for EU membership, and backed the continuation of the United Kingdom.