Nearly half of Scots would support Brexit deal referendum

Just under half of people in Scotland want a referendum on the Brexit deal, according to a new poll.

The YouGov poll, commissioned by the People’s Vote campaign calling for a public vote on Brexit negotiations outcome, found 48% of respondents were in favour, with 31% opposed.

This is greater than the UK wide-response of 45% for and 34% against.

Researchers surveyed 2,013 adults in Scotland between August 8 and 14 and found rising support for staying in the EU.

Two-thirds (66%) said they wanted to remain while 34% were pro-Brexit, when the don’t knows were removed, while in the 2016 referendum voters in Scotland were split 62% to 38% for remain over leave.

The poll reveals around one in 10 Scots (12%) believes Britain will get a good Brexit deal.

Most believe Brexit will make Scotland’s economy weaker – at 56% to 12% – and their standard of living worse at, 49% to 7%.

A majority of Scottish voters (65%) believe the UK government is ignoring Scotland’s concerns on Brexit, while 16% believe it is listening.

There is a high level of distrust about the UK government taking the right decisions on Brexit, with 70% distrustful and 21% the opposite.

In comparison, 48% said they do not trust the Scottish Government to take the right Brexit decisions, while 42% did.

The poll also indicated widespread support among SNP, Labour and Liberal Democrat voters for staying in the EU and at 73%, 67%, and 77% respectively.

Conservative voters were 29% in favour of staying in the EU with 64% backing Brexit.

SNP voters back a Brexit deal referendum by a margin of more than four to one, 66% to 18%, when the don’t knows have been removed while for Labour this is 74% to 26%.

On Scottish independence, 43% of respondents said Brexit would make this more likely and 6% said it would be less likely.

More than a quarter (28%) said it would make no difference as independence has little or no chance anyway, while 7% believe Brexit would make no difference as Scotland gaining independence is likely regardless.

Former YouGov president Peter Kellner said the poll showed public opinion on Brexit shifting.

He said: “Support for a public vote on the outcome is growing across the UK but is particularly strong in Scotland where most people did not want to leave in the first place.

“There is deep pessimism about what Brexit will mean for Scotland and the next generation. Around two-thirds of Scots think the UK is ignoring their concerns and don’t trust Westminster to take these decisions.

“But the survey suggests the leaderships of both the SNP and the Labour Party are in the wrong place with most of their supporters.

“There may be an electoral dividend in Scotland for one of these parties if they strengthen their position.

“For instance, by a margin of three to one Labour supporters want Jeremy Corbyn to campaign for a public vote while Nicola Sturgeon may yet want to move faster than she has in backing such a route on Brexit.”

The campaign group has organised a rally in Edinburgh on Saturday calling for a referendum on the Brexit deal.