SCOTTISH voters would rather have independence than either a no-deal Brexit or Theresa May’s Brexit deal, a new poll has revealed.
The Panelbase survey, carried out for Wings Over Scotland, also indicated that Scots were more likely to back independence over remaining in the UK and accepting the sort of hard Brexit favoured by Jacob Rees-Mogg.
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The poll showed support among Scottish voters for staying in the EU has skyrocketed to 66%, up from the 62% who backed remaining in 2016’s vote.
SNP depute leader Keith Brown said it was no surprise that “independence is looking more and more attractive”, When given a straight choice between Scottish independence and a no-deal Brexit, voters chose independence 52% to 48%.
Then, when asked to pick between Scottish independence and May’s as-yet-to-be-agreed Brexit deal, voters plumped for independence 53% to 47%.
The poll results came as the Prime Minister’s official spokesman told journalists there had been no change in the UK Government’s position on granting a Section 30 order.
On Sunday, the SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford unveiled plans for an amendment to the Prime Minister’s Brexit deal asking for the power to hold an independence referendum.
Blackford said: “What we’re going to do is put down an amendment asking for the Government to recognise that Scotland voted to remain.
“We’re also putting down as part of that amendment a recognition that if the UK does leave the European Union, that the people of Scotland should be able to determine their own destiny and in particular should have that power to have an independence referendum if we so choose.
“We’re making reference in that to the claim of right and the debate we had in Parliament in July 2018 when Parliament accepted the motion that sovereignty rests with the Scottish people.”
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Asked how May planned to respond to the SNP request, the Prime Minister’s spokesman said: “I haven’t seen any formal request. I don’t think our position has changed one bit in relation to a second independence referendum.”
Last week, speaking at the University of Glasgow, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said May would, “of course”, say no to a request for new referendum.
Hunt, who is one of the favourites to replace May as Tory leader, said: “The answer of course will be ‘no’ for the very simple reason we think the Scottish Government should be focused on the concerns of Scottish voters – which is not to have another very divisive independence referendum.”
Nicola Sturgeon is due to make a speech in Holyrood on a second independence vote imminently.
At last week’s Prime Minister’s Questions, May infuriated SNP MPs when she claimed the Scottish Government had “no mandate from the Scottish people to continue to pursue independence”.
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After the session, Blackford stood up to raise a point of order, urging action to be taken against May for misleading parliament.
“The Scottish National Party stood on a manifesto commitment to an independence referendum if there was a material change of circumstances,” he told MPs.
The SNP had, Blackford pointed out, won the election in Scotland. May should come back to the chamber and “correct the record”, he added.
However, Speaker John Bercow said there had been “no procedural impropriety” and “nothing untoward in parliamentary terms about the way in which the Prime Minister has conducted herself”.
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