SNP leadership election: New poll puts Scottish independence support at just 39% ahead of Sky TV debate

New polling suggests support for independence has dropped to just 39 per cent, as the battle for the SNP leadership rages on ahead of the latest TV debate.

A YouGov survey, commissioned by Sky News ahead of its televised leadership debate on Monday night, has revealed just 39 per cent of Scots are backing an exit from the UK, compared to 47 per cent who want to remain part of the union.

The gap is the same when those who answered ‘don’t know’ are excluded from the data, leaving support for independence at 46 per cent compared to 54 per cent against.

The survey of 1,002 people, interviewed online over the weekend, also found 52 per cent of the public believed Scotland would still be part of the UK in ten years' time, regardless of how they would vote in an independence referendum.

SNP leadership candidates (left-right) Humza Yousaf, Kate Forbes and Ash Regan during the SNP leadership debate at the Tivoli Theatre Company in Aberdeen. Craig Brough/PA Wire

The poll was published just hours ahead of Sky News' leadership debate at 7pm, which will see the three candidates – Humza Yousaf, Kate Forbes and Ash Regan – face questions from Sky’s Beth Rigby live in Edinburgh.

Of the survey respondents, Ms Forbes was found to be the most popular, with 27 per cent saying she would be a good first minister, against 22 per cent for Mr Yousaf, and 14 per cent for Ms Regan.

However, all three were considered to be bad prospective leaders of Scotland, with 44 per cent of respondents feeling Mr Yousaf would make a bad leader of the country, against 39 per cent with similar feelings towards Ms Regan and 36 per cent for Ms Forbes.

However, Ms Forbes got the highest figures for those who thought she would be a strong leader at 28 per cent, competent at 37 per cent and trustworthy at 30 per cent.

Responding to the poll, Pamela Nash, chief executive of Scotland in Union, said: “This is another poll showing support for independence decreasing and reaffirms again that Scots want a government that focuses on the issues that really matter.

“While the SNP continues to obsess about independence, the public want to hear what the next leader plans to do about health, education and the cost-of-living crisis. The three candidates for First Minister should heed this poll and take plans for another referendum off the table.”