Almost a third of Scottish voters are calling for a deal over the EU to be laid out before a new independence referendum is called…
A new poll has revealed almost a third of Scottish voters want to wait for a Brexit deal to be laid out before holding another independence referendum.
The survey carried out by YouGov on behalf of pro-union ‘Scotland in Union’ campaign group found 32 per cent of Scots want to wait until a Brexit deal is on the table before repeating an independence ballot. Some 25 per cent said they did not want another referendum until at least 2030.
The poll, which involved 1,006 people, was carried out between 20 and 25 July. It found 17 per cent did not want a repeated referendum at all, while 16 per cent wanted to see a vote as soon as possible. Only nine per cent said they did not know, while the remainder said they did not agree with any of those views.
Formal negotiations relating to a British exit from the EU could take places as early as next year, although this has not been confirmed.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has been discussing the potential of a second independence referendum, after the results of the EU referendum revealed Scotland voted overwhelmingly to remain.
Alastair Cameron, of Scotland in Union, said: “We know the EU referendum result has left many Scots disappointed and some people are calling for the debate on Scottish independence to be re-opened.
“This poll shows that Scotland does not want to rush into another referendum and one in three Scots want to see what Brexit means before deciding on our future.
“We believe people deserve to know what this new landscape will mean for trade, for currency and for our borders.
“Importantly, before dragging Scotland into another referendum, we need to hear from those proposing Scottish independence how we would deal with Scotland’s £15 billion deficit.”
Forty-six per cent of respondents said another independence referendum would negatively impact the economy, while only 22 per cent said it would be positive.
Cameron added: “These new figures show that the people of Scotland believe premature talk of a second referendum is bad for business and they want politicians in Holyrood to be focusing on the NHS and the economy.”
Scottish Conservative constitution spokesman Adam Tomkins said: “This is more evidence that the SNP’s headfirst lunge towards a second referendum following Brexit is not what the people want.
“Nicola Sturgeon should be working with the rest of the UK to get the best deal for Scotland.”
