Fewer than a third of Scots support independence but a majority want Holyrood to gain more powers, an authoritative study has found.
The Scottish Social Attitudes Survey, to be published today, shows just 28 per cent support independence. This is four points higher than the record low of 24 per cent recorded in 2007, but it is still lower than any figure recorded between 2004 and 2006. The survey comes just ten days before the Scottish government publishes its Bill to hold a referendum on independence later this year — although the legislation is almost certain to fail because of opposition from the three Unionist parties.
Professor John Curtice, a research consultant to the Scottish Centre for Social Research, which conducts the annual survey, said: “So far, at least, having the SNP in government in Scotland does not appear to have generated a significant boost in support for independence.”
However, the survey suggested that people do want more devolved power.
Six in ten Scots, the survey found, believe that the Scottish Parliament should take most of the important decisions for Scotland about welfare benefits, with 59 per cent saying the same about taxation.