One in three less likely to vote SNP if second referendum plan in manifesto

Updated

A third of Scots would be less likely to vote SNP if the party promises another independence referendum in its Holyrood election manifesto, according to a new poll.

The Survation poll for the Daily Mail found that such a pledge would make 31% more likely to vote for the party while 36% said it would make no difference.

It comes after First Minister Nicola Sturgeon yesterday said the SNP will set out the timescale for a possible second referendum on independence in its manifesto for next year's Holyrood election.

Scotland's First Minister confirmed the party's manifesto will include more details on the circumstances under which another vote might be ''appropriate''.

The study also found a slim majority of Scots still support the union.

More than half (51%) of those questioned said Scotland should not be an independent country while 49% backed independence, when undecided voters were removed.

The poll of 1,010 Scots, carried out from September 7 to 10, found more than half (51%) supported staying in the European Union.

It also questioned respondents on Holyrood constituency voting intentions and found that 53% planned to vote SNP followed by 22% for Labour.

Meanwhile, 14% said they would vote Conservative, 6% Liberal Democrat and 5% other.

A separate YouGov poll for The Times found that, on Holyrood headline voting intention, 51% would vote SNP, 22% Labour, 18% Conservative, 5% other and 4% Lib Dem. This excluded those who said they did not know or would not vote.

Support for Ms Sturgeon appeared strong, with 67% saying she is doing well as First Minister and 28% saying she is doing badly.

Almost two-thirds (63%) think David Cameron is doing badly as Prime Minister while 30% think he is doing well.

Meanwhile, more than a third (35%) think Kezia Dugdale is doing badly as leader of the Scottish Labour Party while a fifth (20%) think she is doing well.

Almost two in five (38%) think Ruth Davidson is doing well as leader of the Scottish Conservatives while the same proportion think she is doing badly.

Most of those questioned in the survey of 1,110 Scottish adults do not think the Scottish opposition parties have been effective at holding the Scottish Government to account.

The survey was carried out between September 7 and 10.


Scottish Independence: SNP to Set Out Second Referendum Timescale
Scottish Independence: SNP to Set Out Second Referendum Timescale

Advertisement