A surge in support for the Yes campaign has come at the same time as some question Alistair Darling's leadership
A surge in support for the Yes campaign has come at the same time as some question Alistair Darling’s leadership
New polling has pointed to a dramatic upsurge in support for Scotland becoming an independent nation. With just a little over 2 weeks to go until polling day, YouGov’s figures show that when those who say they won’t vote and those they say don’t know how they will vote are excluded, support for independence stands at 47%, up from 39% in a similar poll at the start of August.
Support for Scotland remaining within the union now stands at 53%, down from 61% at the start of last month, and giving the no campaign a lead of just 6%.
Interestingly, the figures suggest that some in the Better Together Campaign might well have been right earlier this year to be questioning the role of Alistair Darling leading the effort to keep Scotland in the Union.
According to today’s polling, just 28% of Scots feel that he “has done better than anyone else could have at leading the No campaign”, compared to 52% who feel that “there are other people available who would have done a better job at leading the No campaign.”
In contrast, 45% feel Alex Salmond has been the best person to lead the pro-independence campaign, compared to 37% who disagree.
Whilst urging caution about reading too much into one poll, Professor John Curtice of Strathclyde University has written:
“Of course, too much should never be read into one poll – and we still await a poll that actually puts the Yes side ahead. But there seems little doubt that this poll will electrify the campaign. The Yes side will now be able to argue with some conviction that they have gained momentum and can hope that they might yet secure a dramatic and historic victory. The No side, meanwhile, will be asking itself why it now apparently finds itself in a desperate last minute fight to keep Scotland in the Union.”
6 Responses to “New surge in support for Scottish independence”
Stan Squires
I am from Vancouver,Canada and I supports the Yes side in Scotland.The Declaration of Independence was signed in the USA in 1776.No one in the USA today is sorry about that.In Canada we were not so lucky.In 1837 the fight for independence for Canada was lost.Most people in Canada regrets that.People that come to Canada and become citizens have to swear allegiance to the queen of England.That is derogatory for the people of Canada.
The people of Scotland should do the right thing and vote Yes in the referendum.