'˜Game on' says Salmond as support for independence rises

Alex Salmond tweeted 'game on' when the poll was released MP. Picture: John Devlin

A new poll has shown that support for independence has been boosted after Theresa May vowed to remove the UK from the European Union's single market.

200 Voices: find out more about the people who have shaped Scotland

A survey by BMG for The Herald found that 49% of Scots support independence compared with 51% who back the union, when don’t knows are removed.

Theresa May braces for indyref2 in August 2018

Support for indpendence has risen following the PM's 'hard Brexit' announcement, a pnew poll has found. Picture: Neil Hanna

Most Scots still oppose holding a second referendum before the UK leaves the EU.

Polling data from January had shown support for independence had fallen while Brexit negotiations continued.

However, the PM’s decision to pursue a ‘hard Brexit’ may have altered some Scots’ opinion on independence.

Yesterday, MSPs backed a motion rejecting the UK government’s proposal to implement Article 50 by 90 votes to 34 during a stormy debate in the Scottish Parliament.

Scottish Brexit Secretary Mike Russell will today meet his Westminster counterpart David Davis at a session of the Joint Ministerial Council and claim the UK government has been ignoring First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s views on Brexit.

Former Scottish first minister Alex Salmond tweeted the poll, adding “Game on...”

Scottish Labour’s Westminster spokesman Ian Murray called on the SNP to rule out another independence referendum.

He added: “Rather than working constructively, the SNP is instead fixated on a second independence referendum. But as the latest opinion poll shows, people in Scotland are very clear that they don’t want another referendum.”

Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton said the poll shows no “meaningful shift” in support for independence and a “great reluctance among Scottish people to thrash this out again”.

Scottish Greens MSP Ross Greer said: “Considering there’s been no official Yes campaign since 2014 and a relatively sustained campaign against, it’s remarkable that support for independence has held steady.

“However, this poll, up three points since the last BMG poll, highlights the impact of Westminster’s refusal to seriously consider Scotland’s vote to stay in the EU or any compromise proposals which have been presented to them.”