Nearly half of English oppose Scottish independence - poll

[Treffie]

Almost half of people in England do not want Scotland to become independent, a poll suggests.

The ComRes survey for BBC's Newsnight and Radio 4's World at One found 48% of voters in England wanted Scotland to remain within the United Kingdom.

If Scotland voted for separation, 45% said they would like a referendum in the rest of the UK.

ComRes chairman Andrew Hawkins said it suggested both nations should have a say in any decision about the Union.

The poll asked 864 adults in England a variety of questions relating to Scottish independence.

Following an historic election victory in May, Scotland's SNP government promised to hold a referendum on Scottish independence within the next five years.

That almost half of the English feel that they would like a say over Scotland's future suggests that the Union should be England's as well as Scotland's to determine”

Andrew Hawkins Comres

English support for Scottish independence polled at 36% - almost exactly the same as the result of a poll for the Herald newspaper last month, which suggested 37% of Scots favoured separation.

Despite increasing complaints from English MPs that Scotland gets too much funding from Westminster, 51% of those surveyed thought that an independent Scotland would not make any difference to how well off England was.

While 21% of people thought England would be worse off, 19% said it would be better off.

On the issue of whether there would have to be a second referendum in the rest of the United Kingdom should Scotland vote for independence, as recently suggested by Scottish Secretary Michael Moore, opinion was fairly evenly split.

Forty-five percent said the rest of the United Kingdom should get a say, while 47% said it should not.

36% say Scotland should become a fully independent country, but 48% say it should not.
51% say an independent Scotland would make no difference to England, while 19% believe it would leave England better off and 21% worse off.
45% say a referendum should be held in the rest of the UK before Scotland can be allowed to be independent, while 47% say there is no need for one.
36% say England should become an independent country, irrespective of any Scottish vote while 57% say it should not.

ComRes interviewed 864 English adults by telephone between 24 and 26 June 2011. Data was weighted to be demographically representative of all English adults.

Regardless of what Scotland decides to do, however, the poll indicated that most English people wanted England to remain within a United Kingdom, with 57% saying they would not like the country to become fully independent with its own government.

But more than a third did want to see an independent England - the same number as those who supported an independent Scotland.

Mr Hawkins said: "That almost half of the English feel that they would like a say over Scotland's future suggests that the Union should be England's as well as Scotland's to determine."

The SNP's Treasury Spokesman, Stewart Hosie, told The World at One: "What it tells me is that English people are very relaxed about Scottish independence... I think the real key about this is we're now starting a proper debate about what independence will mean. Not just for Scotland where that's a bit clearer, but for England as well."

John Curtice, professor of politics at Strathclyde University told the BBC that the poll suggested that "for the most part, England wants the Union to continue and certainly sees little advantage in it ending, but probably would not die in a ditch to keep it preserved".

"After all, for most people in England, Scotland is not a significant 'other'," he said.

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[Beorn]

[YOUTUBE]3gMcZic1d4U[/YOUTUBE]

Opinion polls said the opposite not long ago. I say we have a vote, stand well back and see what happens.

[Duckelf]

The break up of the Union would be a disaster, an excuse for the PC left to further divorce the nations of the British Isles from their history and subject them to further EU domination.

[Troll's Puzzle]

The break up of the Union would be a blessing, an encouragement for the nations of the British Isles to be remarried with their histories and free them to further EU domination.

[Treffie]

The break up of the Union would be a disaster, an excuse for the PC left to further divorce the nations of the British Isles from their history and subject them to further EU domination.

The PC left didn't want this to happen originally. Of course, they wanted devolution, but they thought they could keep them as bastions of Blairism. Instead, it's come right back and smacked them in the mush.

[Comte Arnau]

Did the English vote include the Welsh?

[Logan]

My fathers were of a different mind. Their history is quite well known.

Change is constant. In future; it may indeed be found that England, once again, is but a small outline upon the globe. Perhaps. The tide has been ebbing for over a hundred years. Both opinions have validity.

“The isles of Greece, the isles of Greece! / Where burning Sappho loved and sung, / Where grew the arts of war and peace, / Where Delos rose, and Phoebus sprung! / Eternal summer gilds them yet, / But all, except their sun, is set.” Lord Byron

Μολών λαβέ ! Leonidas

[poiuytrewq0987]

The UK seems to be going the way of Greece during the Hellenistic age. I can draw some comparisons and the only difference is perhaps the British Empire lasted much longer than Alexander's and the splintered kingdoms.

[Eldritch]

I'm actually surprised that so many do not oppose it.

[Joe McCarthy]

I'm actually surprised that so many do not oppose it.

Alas, the English aren't what they once were. On a side note, I imagine such a separation would help England and hurt Scotland in terms of immigration - certainly help England, at least.