ANALYSIS has revealed that support for independence continues to increase, ahead of a year in which a no-deal Brexit could trigger a second referendum.

Campaigners can take heart from the fact that support for Yes has increased in 85% of the 93 opinion polls on Scottish independence carried out since 2014.

On average, support for independence is up 2.7 points to 47.4%, with the most recent poll showing support at a two-year high.

But hardcore British nationalists Scotland in Union said that all polls showed the majority of Scots wanted to remain in the UK.

Pamela Nash, chief executive of the anti-independence group, said Nicola Sturgeon’s “relentless campaigning” had “failed to win over the majority of Scots, who know that we are better off as part of the UK”.

“Every single opinion poll conducted in 2018 asking people how they would vote now has found majority support for remaining in the UK,” she told the Daily Mail.

An SNP spokesman, however, accused Nash’s organisation of being a “Tory front group”.

“Polls show support for independence is growing as the UK Government tramples over Scotland’s wishes on the biggest issues facing the country – from Brexit to austerity,” he said. “This is clear from Scotland in Union’s own analysis, which shows a boost in support for independence over the past year – and a majority preferring independence to any form of Brexit.

“With just three months to go before Scotland is dragged out of the EU against our will, it is astonishing that Scotland in Union still have no position on Brexit – the biggest threat to Scottish jobs, living standards and the economy.

“Unlike this Tory front group, the SNP will not stand idly by while Westminster takes us off the Brexit cliff edge.”

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The National:

Keith Brown was unsurprised to hear of dwindling support for SNP opposition

The most recent poll, carried out for the Sunday Times earlier this month, revealed that 53% of Scots believe independence would be better for the country than remaining in the UK after Brexit.

The Panelbase survey of 1028 voters suggested rising enthusiasm for independence.

Among those questioned, 59% believed independence would be better for Scotland than being out of the EU with no deal, while 53% would take leaving the UK over the agreement secured by Theresa May.

The poll also showed support for independence at 47%.

In October, Sturgeon told the SNP conference that she would set out her timescale for another vote on independence once the “fog” of Brexit had cleared.

In their analysis of this year’s polls, the SNP said the numbers showed they would be the big winners in any snap General Election.

In the 22 opinion polls on Westminster voting intentions in Scotland since the 2017 General Election, the SNP has topped every poll – with support for the party increasing in 82% of the polls.

On average, the SNP vote is up 1.5 percentage points to 38.4%, while support for the Tories has fallen by 2.8 points to 25.8%, and support for Labour has fallen by 1.1 points to 26.0%.

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The SNP’s depute leader, Keith Brown, said: “It is no surprise that support for the Westminster parties is collapsing, when both Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn are utterly obsessed about dragging Scotland over the Brexit cliff edge against our will.”

A spokesman for the Scottish Tories disagreed: “The SNP has miscalculated Brexit from the start, and this latest bleating suggests it’s about to repeat those mistakes,” he said.