FAR from being the reserve of die-hard Scottish nationalists, a solid majority of Scots were supporting Italy over England in the Euro 2020 final, a new poll has revealed.
Reported in The Telegraph, a Redfield and Wilton Strategies survey of 1000 Scottish voters found that a total of 59% were hoping for England to lose out to "gli Azzurri" in the European championship final.
This figure rises still higher when the question regards sporting events in general. This suggests that England’s football team, which was praised for taking a stand against racism and contained popular figures such as Marcus Rashford, actually had more support among Scots than normal.
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At a general sporting event, some 66% of Scottish voters said they would support England’s opponents rather than their neighbours south of the Border.
When The National published a headline-making front page in support of Italy’s football team ahead of the Euro 2020 final, the accusations of anglophobia from Unionists were numerous.
Among many, Blair McDougall, the former director of Better Together, wrote on social media that he felt "sad" for people in Scotland who wouldn't support the English national side.
However, the poll suggests supporting England’s opponents is the position of an established majority in Scotland, and more common than support for either independence or the Union.
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The same poll found 44% of Scots would vote to become an independent country if the referendum were held tomorrow, compared to 47% who would vote to remain in the UK.
The survey also asked Scottish voters their views on the Olympics. It found that, among those who have been watching the Tokyo games, a massive 91% were supporting Team GB.
Furthermore, 59% of people asked said they supported the four home nations competing as one on that international stage.
Almost half (49%) said they supported a joint UK-Ireland bid to host the 2030 Fifa World Cup, and 38% said they believed that doing so would strengthen the Union.
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