BBC Radio 4 Scottish Independence Poll

 A survey of 864 adults in England on behalf of BBC Radio 4.

Date Published: 03 Jul 2011

Categories: Energy | Media | Politics | Public and communities | Technology & Telecoms | UK

Description

 Q1: A referendum is planned to be held in Scotland asking people if they support Scotland becoming an independent country. Do you think that Scotland should become a fully independent country, separate from the rest of the United Kingdom, or not?

Yes it should: 36%
No it should not: 48%
Don’t know: 15%

•         People from social group AB (56%) are most likely to say that they think Scotland should not be a fully independent county – this compares to people from C2 (38%)  and DE (46%).
•         People from the South West (45%) are most likely to say that Scotland should become a fully independent country.

Q.2 If Scotland was to become independent, do you think England would be better off or worse off, or would it make no difference?

England would be better off: 19%
No difference: 51%
England would be worse off: 21%

•         Men (25%) are more likely than women (13%) to think that England would be better off is Scotland was to become independent.
•         People from social group AB are most likely to think that there would be some impact if Scottish were independent.  24% of people in social group AB think England would be better off, 32% think worse off and just 36% think there would be no difference.

Q.3 Do you think a referendum should be held in the rest of the United Kingdom before Scotland is allowed to become an independent country, or not?

Yes: 45%
No:  47%
Don’t know: 8%

•         Women (48%) are slightly more likely  that men (42%) to think that a referendum should be held in the rest of the UK before Scotland is allowed to becoem an independent country.

Q.4 Irrespective of the outcome of the Scottish referendum, do you think that England should become a fully independent country with its own government, separate from the rest of the United Kingdom, or not?

Yes it should: 36%
Not it should not: 57%
Don’t know: 7%

•         People from groups AB (29%) are least likely to think that irrespective of the Scottish Referendum, England should become a fully representative country with its own government – this compares to 47% from group C2.

Methodology: ComRes interviewed 864 English adults by telephone between the 24th and 26th June 2011. Data were weighted to be demographically representative of all English adults. ComRes is a member of the British Polling Council and abide by its rules.