Possibility of an Independent Scotland Divides Views in Britain
Bailout of Royal Bank of Scotland and revenues from North Sea oil reserves are the most contentious topics.
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(11/27/12) -
Britons and Scots differ greatly on the implications of Scotland becoming an independent state, a new Angus Reid Public Opinion poll has found.
In the online survey of a representative national sample of 2,009 British adults, 72 per cent of Britons believe an independent Scotland should repay the debt incurred by the UK Government’s bailout of the Royal Bank of Scotland—a view shared by only 35 per cent of Scots.
Conversely, three-in-four Scots (76%) want an independent Scotland to control all revenues from North Sea oil reserves. In the other four regions of Britain, fewer than three-in-ten respondents concur.
There is consensus among Britons and Scots on two other issues: an independent Scotland retaining the pound sterling as its national currency (58% in Britain, 82% in Scotland) and an independent Scotland keeping Queen Elizabeth II as its head of state (56% in Britain, 68% in Scotland).
The Scottish Government and the British Government have signed an agreement to hold a referendum in 2014. In this referendum, the people of Scotland will be asked whether they think Scotland should become an independent state. Across Britain, 47 per cent of respondents support holding the referendum, while 26 per cent are opposed.
One third of Britons (32%, including 35% of those in Scotland) favour the status-quo, where Scotland is part of the UK, with a Scottish Parliament that has the power to pass laws and limited tax-varying capability. About one-in-five respondents across Britain (21%) and in Scotland (20%) would prefer Scotland’s full independence from the United Kingdom.
The same proportion of Scots would feel “happy” (27%) and “sad” (27%) if Scotland became an independent state.
Download Full Methodology Statement
Full Report, Detailed Tables and Methodology (PDF)
CONTACT:
Mario Canseco, Vice President, Angus Reid Public Opinion
+877 730 3570
mario.canseco@angus-reid.com
Methodology: From November 16 to November 18, 2012, Angus Reid Public Opinion conducted an online survey among 2,009 randomly selected British adults who are Springboard UK panelists. The margin of error—which measures sampling variability—is +/- 2.2%. The results have been statistically weighted according to the most current education, age, gender and region data to ensure samples representative of the entire adult population of Great Britain. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.
