Scottish independence poll: 61% No | Yes 39%

SCOTS are poised to reject independence, according to new polling evidence today.

Alex Salmond took on Alistair Darling in a live debate on independence. Picture: Peter Devlin

It found 61% of Scots are planning to vote No with 39% wanting to leave the UK. The YouGov survey for the Sun was partially carried out after last week’s TV debate between First Minister Alex Salmond and Better Together campaign chief Alistair Darling.

And the lengthy referendum campaign appears to have taken its toll on Scots with 39% saying there should never be another vote on independence, while 17% say it should be at least 20 or 30 years before another is staged.

The poll, carried out just six weeks before voters go the polls in the historic referendum, was welcomed by Mr Darling who also warned against complacency.

Including the don’t knows, the poll shows 55% supporting a No vote, with 35% backing independence, while 9% are undecided.

Mr Darling said: “What is clear is the closer we get the more people are looking at the Nationalist plans and realising that they make no sense.”

About half of the 1,142 people who took part were questioned after last Tuesday’s TV debate between Mr Salmond and Mr Darling.

A spokesman for Yes Scotland said: “Two other polls in the last have shown support for Yes as high as 47%. This includes the snap poll conducted after last week’s debate.”

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