Support for Scottish independence is at its highest ever level, according to the country’s leading social research institute.
The latest findings from ScotCen’s Scottish Social Attitudes survey also found, however, that relying on a pro-EU narrative could damage the case for leaving the UK, with a third of Yes voters against being part of the Brussels bloc.
Labour said the study showed Scotland is “divided enough”, as it comes just two days after First Minister Nicola Sturgeon demanded a second vote on secession.
The survey, which has asked the same question about how Scotland should be governed every year since 1999, found that while independence is now the single most popular constitutional option, there is more support overall for the Union, with 42% backing devolution and 8% against any kind of Scottish Parliament.
ScotCen also found scepticism about the EU in Scotland is at the highest level ever recorded with two in three people (67%) wanting Britain to leave the EU (25%) or for the EU’s powers to be reduced (42%).
The report, written by respected pollster John Curtice, said “no less than one in three (33%) of those who say they would now vote in favour of independence (and who voted in the EU referendum) reported that they voted to leave.”
It added: “This long-term increase in scepticism about Europe reflects a not dissimilar trend elsewhere in the UK.”
The report concluded: “The EU is potentially a divisive issue for the nationalist movement, while the commitment of many voters in Scotland to remain in the EU does not appear to be especially strong.”
Scottish Labour Westminster spokesperson Ian Murray said: “This impartial report underlines that our country is divided enough. We must not be divided again by the SNP’s obsession for a second independence referendum.”
