Poll: 70% back repeat Yes/No question for second independence referendum

More than two thirds of people are against changing the question in a future Scottish independence referendum, according to a new poll.

Seven in 10 (70%) of the more than 2,000 adults in Scotland questioned said the question should be the same as in the 2014 referendum - "Should Scotland become an independent country?" with options of yes or no.

A total of 17% of those surveyed in the Survation poll for former SNP depute leader Angus Robertson's research group Progress Scotland think the question should be changed and 13% said they did not know.

The vast majority of those surveyed, 88%, said the 2014 question was clear and easy to understand, with 5% disagreeing, 7% neutral and 1% giving a don't know response.

The vast majority of those surveyed, 88%, said the 2014 question was clear and easy to understand, with 5% disagreeing, 7% neutral and 1% giving a don't know response.

Most believed the question was fair at 82%, with 8% disagreeing, 10% neutral and 2% saying they did not know.

More than three quarters (77%) said they would be satisfied if the same question was used in another referendum, while 9% were against, 11% were neutral and 2% did not know.

The poll found a majority backed using the same question regardless of whether they voted yes or no in the 2014 referendum, leave or remain in the EU referendum in 2016 or which

major party they voted for in the 2017 general election.

Mr Robertson said: "As momentum grows for another independence referendum in Scotland it is striking that there is such a strong level of support for using the same question as in the 2014 referendum.

"Not only do an overwhelming majority agree that the 2014 question was: 'clear and easy to understand', but also that 'the question was fair', and that "I would be satisfied if that question was used again in another referendum'.

"It is also particularly noteworthy that there was a clear majority for using the same question as 2014 regardless of votes cast in 2014 independence referendum, 2016 EU referendum and

2017 general election vote, as well as supporters of all major parties."

Survation surveyed 2,032 people for the poll carried out between September 30 and October 9.

Constitutional Relations Secretary Mike Russell has said it would be "very confusing" to change the question from that posed in 2014.

He told MSPs there was no need for the Electoral Commission to test the question if there was an independence referendum in the second half of 2020.

However, the bosses from the elections watchdog then told a Holyrood committee they "strongly believe" they should be allowed to test the question, arguing doing so would give voters greater confidence.