A clear majority of people would back Scottish independence

A clear majority of people would back Scottish independence in a fresh referendum, according to a new poll showing a record level of support. The survey by pollsters Ipsos MORI found that 58 per cent of those who said they were likely to vote in an independence referendum would vote Yes while 42 per cent would opt for No. Boris Johnson has consistently rejected calls from the SNP to grant the Scottish Parliament the powers to hold a second vote, insisting in January that it would “continue the political stagnation that Scotland has seen for the last decade”. The prime minister has also said the 2014 referendum, in which Scots voted against independence by 55-44 per cent, was a “once in a generation” ballot.