The majority of people in Scotland believe that independence is a distraction from more important issues facing the country.
A new opinion poll has found that just 36% of voters consider independence ‘one of the most important issues facing the country’, while 52% said it ‘distracts’ from other issues.
The YouGov polling was carried out for the Scottish Fabians, and also revealed that even one in five of those who voted SNP in 2019 believe independence is a distraction.
An overwhelming majority of voters (76%) want the Scottish and UK governments to work together on the issues that impact their lives, and only 8% said the governments work well together.
The findings follow a small number of recent opinion polls which suggest a slim majority of voters currently support leaving the UK.
But this poll and other polls demonstrate that while people will answer the constitutional question if asked, they don’t believe another divisive referendum should be a priority as we recover from COVID-19.
Next year’s Holyrood election must be about jobs, schools and the NHS – not a referendum on another unwanted referendum.
Pamela Nash, chief executive of Scotland in Union, said:
“It is clear in poll after poll that people in Scotland want politicians to focus on what really matters - jobs, education and the NHS.
"If asked, people will give their views on the constitution, but only a minority believe it should be the government’s priority.
"Next year, voters deserve an election campaign that holds the SNP government to account for its failures in office and concentrates on economic recovery and the future of our public services - not a referendum on a referendum.”
The full polling tables can be read here.
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