By a Newsnet reporter
The SNP has welcomed a new ICM poll for the Scotland on Sunday which shows another significant swing in support for independence – as the momentum behind the Yes campaign continues to grow.
The poll shows that support for Yes stands at 39% – up two points since ICM’s survey last month – while the No vote has fallen by three points to 46%. When ‘don’t knows’ are excluded, support for Yes stands at 45% compared to 55% for No.
ICM’s poll also confirmed that the majority of people in Scotland do not think the Scottish Parliament will be granted more powers in the aftermath of a No vote – despite finding that 68% of voters believe Scotland should have powers over tax and welfare.
This follows a Panelbase survey commissioned by Newsnet Scotland which revealed most voters don’t trust the anti-independence parties to deliver on any pledges of new powers after a No vote – including 42% who did not trust Labour’s promises, compared to only 28% who did.
The Panelbase poll also showed that most voters felt any offerings from the No parties would not go far enough.
Today’s ICM poll has led polling expert Professor John Curtice to say that “the No side is beginning to look like a campaign in trouble.”
Speaking to Scotland on Sunday, Head of the Yes campaign Blair Jenkins said: “It is the highest Yes rating in an ICM poll since January 2012, and this poll also suggests that a majority of people in Scotland don’t believe that the Scottish Parliament would get more powers if there was a No vote – that is why a Yes vote is so important.
“It’s yet another poll confirming that more and more people are moving to Yes. More people in Scotland are realising that the additional powers being talked about by the anti-independence parties are far too weak and limited, as well as unlikely to be delivered.”
Jenkins added: “We already know that Scotland can be independent. Scotland is the 14th wealthiest country among the developed economies in terms of GDP per head – compared to the UK’s 18th place. And as Scots weigh up the consequences of a No vote, more and more people are realising that we should and must become independent as well.”
A spokesman for rival Better Together told the newspaper: “This poll shows that the gap between Yes and No is exactly the same as it was two months ago,”
The spokesman added: “While we can take comfort from the fact that this poll, like all others, shows that a clear majority of us want to remain in the UK, we need to make sure that we are fighting for every vote between now and September.
“The choice we face in the referendum is clear: do we want to take a huge leap into the unknown with independence, or do we want to have an enhanced Scottish Parliament backed up by the strength, security and stability of the UK?”
Commenting, Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said:
“This is another excellent poll confirming that support for a Yes vote continues to grow – with the swing needed to put Yes ahead firmly within our grasp.
“Poll after poll has shown that support for independence is on the rise – and that the No campaign’s negative agenda of fear and scaremongering just isn’t working.
“It is clear from these figures that people in Scotland simply don’t trust the No parties to deliver significant new powers for Scotland – and with the mess Labour has made of its Devolution Commission proposals, it is easy to see why.
“We know that only a Yes vote can give us the powers we need to make Scotland a fairer, more prosperous country – which is why Scotland can, should and must be independent.”