THE case for a second independence referendum is “very much intact”, according to the organiser of a new poll that found half of Scots believe Scotland should rejoin the European Union.
A clear majority of the public (53%) believe Scotland should join the bloc in a Panelbase survey commissioned by pro-independence blog Scot Goes Pop. The poll asked the question: “Should Scotland rejoin the European Union?” It didn’t mention whether Scotland should rejoin as an independent nation.
With “don’t knows” excluded, 60% of respondents said that Scotland should rejoin the EU, and 40% said it shouldn’t. That is only slightly lower than the 62% of Remain voters to 38% of Leave voters in the 2016 referendum. It could be explained by Unionists surveyed who believe that rejoining the EU could mean leaving the UK.
Nearly a fifth (14%) of Leave voters now want Scotland to rejoin.
The LibDems campaigned on a staunchly anti-Brexit manifesto in last year’s General Election so it is not surprising that 62% of people who voted for them then say that Scotland should rejoin the EU, and only 23% disagree.
James Kelly of Scot Goes Pop said the results show Westminster is “disregarding the democratic will of the Scottish people”.
He added: “Scotland really does want to be inside the EU, regardless of what the rest of Britain does, and the UK Government really is disregarding the democratic will of the Scottish people. The casus belli for indyref2 is very much intact.”
READ MORE: James Kelly: Scotland isn’t just a Remain nation – it’s now a Rejoin nation
SNP Westminster deputy leader, Kirsty Blackman, said: “It’s clear the overwhelming majority of people in Scotland oppose Tory plans for an extreme Brexit, which are being imposed against our will by Westminster. Scotland voted overwhelmingly to remain in the EU yet we now face being dragged out on the hardest terms, removing our rights and causing lasting damage to jobs, living standards and the economy.
“People in Scotland must have a choice over our future. Westminster is wedded to Brexit and a devastating bad deal or No-deal is becoming more likely by the day. The only way to regain our place at the heart of Europe is to become an independent country.”
The results come as Michel Barnier, the European Commission’s chief trade negotiator, signalled he is “willing to listen” to any request for a Scotland-only extension to the current Brexit transition period.
READ MORE: EU 'willing to listen' to case for Scottish Brexit extension
Barnier intervened after former First Minister Henry McLeish urged Nicola Sturgeon to seek an extension if the UK Government continues to insist it will not do so.
He agreed with the assessment that a No-deal Brexit would hamper the country’s recovery from the pandemic and that such a move would be highly damaging but said negotiations had to respect the UK constitutional arrangements (under which the member state is the UK).
The poll is the final in a series commissioned by Scot Goes Pop. One found that Scots support a “Plan B” route to independence to avoid a Westminster veto, while another found half of Scots would feel safer if Sturgeon’s Government was given more powers to tackle coronavirus.
READ MORE: Stunning new poll finds Scots feel safer when FM has powers to tackle virus
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