The National:

WHILE the UK media often turns a blind eye to the independence movement, it seems international news organisations are aware of the growing appetite for self-determination.

Following two polls putting Yes support on 54% - and a succession of surveys before that putting backing for independence in the lead – Al Jazeera’s Laurence Lee put together a news item examining changing attitudes in Scotland.

The package explores how London’s chaotic handling of the coronavirus crisis, in contrast with the Scottish Government’s widely praised approach, has driven former No voters towards supporting independence for the nation.

Lee visits Dundee, the “heartland of independence” where he reports Yes support polls at around 65%, to speak to Yessers for the story.

“Bert [Bryden] has been dreaming of Scottish independence for as long as he can remember,” he says as we are introduced to the independence supporter.

“He regards the English establishment as imperialists who stamped all over Scotland just as they did the colonies. The fact the independence campaign narrowly lost the referendum six years ago doesn’t matter to him because he believes his day will still come.”

Bryden told the journalist: “The Yes people who are still there, they’re still as strong as they were. The people that were marching – people have marched in marches in Glasgow and Edinburgh and all over – they haven’t given it up, and they won’t.”

The reporter goes on to discuss how trust in First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has “rocketed since she appeared to be in control of the virus response in Edinburgh, while the Government in London is widely regarded as chaotic and incompetent”.

He says that, combined with “widespread hostility” to Brexit in pro-EU Scotland, has been “good news for Scottish nationalists”. Lee then spoke to MSP Shona Robison who argues people have seen the UK Government as “inept”, which has persuaded former No voters that Scotland can manage its affairs better.

Lee goes on: “The question increasingly being asked here is how big a lead do the nationalists have to have before it becomes impossible for London to refuse another referendum on independence?”

The journalist later speaks to Fergus Mutch, who is leading a new campaign to get Scotland back in the EU – which 63% of Scots back, according to a new poll commissioned by Business For Scotland.

Sharing clips of the news story online, @IndyScotNews said seeing these kinds of support in the media is a “blue moon” event.

Let’s see if some of our UK media will follow suit.