SNP's unlikely ally as English back drive for independence
SCOTTISH Nationalists were given a boost today by a new poll showing a majority of people both north and south of the Border want an independent Scotland.
The ICM survey found 51 per cent of Scots backed independence, with 36 per cent against and 14 per cent “don’t know”. In England, 48 per cent said they would like to see an independent Scotland, with 39 per cent against and 12 per cent “don’t know”.
SNP leader Alex Salmond hailed the poll as further evidence of support for his party’s main objective. He said: “There is a powerful pro-independence tide flowing north and south of the Border. Both countries now have majorities in favour of independence. What we need is a new 21st-century partnership between Scotland and England based on equality and mutual respect.
“That will be much more positive for both nations than the present hotchpotch of confusion and resentment.”
Today’s poll comes just days after another survey put the SNP ahead of Labour in both the constituency and list votes for May’s Scottish Parliament elections.
The latest survey also found that, failing independence, a majority in both countries believed that England should have a parliament of its own deciding on English affairs, without any involvement of Scottish MPs.
Meanwhile, 53 per cent of the English and 47 per cent of those in Scotland thought MPs representing Scottish seats in the House of Commons should be barred from voting on laws only affecting England and Wales. Thirty-eight per cent of the English, and 41 per cent of Scottish people thought they should have the right to vote. Nine per cent of the English and 12 per cent of Scots did not know.
There was also majority backing in both countries for England to have its own First Minister.
The survey was commissioned ahead of next week’s 300th anniversary of the ratification of the treaty which united the two countries. Mr Salmond said: “Scots are tired of remote control from London, and devolution has made them realise that it’s time to have a real parliament with real powers. In England, people quite rightly resent Scottish Labour MPs bossing them about on English domestic legislation. England has as much right to self-government as Scotland.”
But Murdo Fraser, deputy leader of the Scottish Tories, said he believed that the Union would survive. He said: “For 300 years the Union has been of mutual benefit to its members and when people sit down and look at the arguments coolly and rationally they will decide it is in our best interests to retain the Union.”
A Scottish Labour Party spokesman said: “The one thing we can be sure of is that as we move closer to polling day and more people consider the serious consequences of breaking up Britain, the less popular independence parties will become.”
Scottish Lib Dem leader Nicol Stephen said: “This poll has failed to ask about the option which is most popular with Scottish voters: the Liberal Democrat policy of giving more powers to the Scottish Parliament without separation
- securing a modern settlement for Scotland as part of the UK, based on more federal principles.”
Earlier this week, a poll for Channel 4 News put the SNP two points ahead of Labour in the constituency vote and five points ahead in the regional list vote.
An analysis suggested that would make the Nationalists the biggest party at Holyrood with 45 seats, compared to 42 for Labour, 18 Conservatives, 14 Lib Dems, seven Greens and three others.
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