SUPPORT for Scottish independence has dipped, according to two polls carried out in recent days.
With "don't knows" excluded one survey, conducted for The Scotsman by Savanta ComRes, found that 49% of respondents said they would vote Yes if the vote was held tomorrow, while 51% said they would vote No.
The poll interviewed 1009 people aged 16 and over between March 5 and 10. It is separate from the recent Scotland on Survey survey which was not weighted for voter turnout.
Meanwhile, a poll carried out for The Times by YouGov found the same result.
READ MORE: Independence supported by majority of Scots, 22nd consecutive poll shows
The survey of 1100 people, carried out between March 4 and 8, found that half of people did not want an independence referendum this year. However 33% of people supported holding a vote before 2023 and 42% thought one should be held in the next five years.
The SNP has said a vote will be held in the next parliament if the party secures a May majority.
The poll in The Times predicted the SNP would return 71 MSPs, an increase of eight, giving them a majority of 13.
The number of Tory MSPs would drop by two to 29, while Labour would fall by four to 20, the Greens would drop one and return four MSPs while the Liberal Democrats would remain with five.
However, the poll in The Scotsman indicated the SNP is no longer on course for a majority in the Holryood elections - predicting they would return 64 MSPs.
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The number of Conservative MSPs would fall from 31 to 30, and Labour would drop from 24 to 20.
The Liberal Democrats would retain their five MSPs while the Scottish Greens would win four more seats.
Until this month pollsters had recorded 22 consecutive polls showing a majority of Scots support leaving the Union.
Keith Brown, the SNP's depute leader, commented: “This is the most important election in Scotland’s history, and it comes down to a stark choice – who should decide the country’s future. Should it be the people of Scotland or Boris Johnson?
"Polls are tightening with the vital Scottish Parliamentary election in just eight weeks' time - and there is no room for complacency.
"Both votes SNP will re-elect Nicola Sturgeon to lead Scotland’s recovery from the pandemic and build a fairer and greener nation, with a focus on our schools, our NHS and delivering the right to choose a better future in a post-pandemic referendum."
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