[122] However, Leonard has said that UK Labour Party policy on independence and a referendum should be decided by the Scottish branch of the party rather than by the whole UK party.

Opposition was greatest from people aged over fifty-five, retirees, homeowners and people with no formal qualifications. This amended version established that it is now SNP policy for an independent Scotland to create a new currency at the earliest feasible point of independence to enable fiscal sovereignty, with Pound Sterling being a transitional currency for Scotland.

[45] This dropped to 33% in 2017. [44] The Conservatives became the largest anti-independence party increasing their votes from 27% to 46% of unionist voters. [133] The poll additionally found that 43% of English voters would accept Scotland leaving the United Kingdom as a result of the exit from the European Union, compared to 35% who would oppose this. This includes Scottish Parliamentary elections, local authority elections and referenda under the Scottish Parliament's remit. [40]In response she said that that, "I don't think it's right for any politician to dictate to a country what its future should be. Before the 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, there were some opinion polls conducted which asked people if they would vote for Scottish independence in the (then hypothetical) event of a "leave" vote in that referendum. Respondents giving answers between 1 to 4 and 6 to 10 have been mapped to No and Yes here respectively, while respondents giving 5 or "don't know" as answer have been assigned as undecided. In May 2019, the Scottish Government introduced the Referendums (Scotland) Bill to the Scottish Parliament. This Act extends voting rights to anyone legally resident in Scotland over the age of 16, regardless of nationality or citizenship, and extends voting rights to some prisoners if they have less than 12 months to serve in prison. [131] However, an Opinium poll carried out 28–30 June 2016 showed a marked change, with 69% believing that Scotland would vote for independence in a second referendum, with 16% believing it would vote against independence. ", "SNP members change leadership's currency plan", "Scottish independence: Sturgeon wants indyref2 by 2021", "Indyref2: Campaign group launches with Elaine C Smith on board", "Scotland's right to choose: putting Scotland's future in Scotland's hands - gov.scot", "Scottish independence: Johnson rejects Sturgeon's indyref2 demand", "Scottish Parliament backs indyref2 this year — but is swiftly rebuffed", "Brexit: MSPs vote to keep flying EU flag at Scottish Parliament after heated debate", "SNP confirms no indyref2 this year due to coronavirus", "Plans for independence vote to be published in draft bill", "Nicola Sturgeon says second Scottish referendum 'highly likely' – as it happened", "Sturgeon to lobby EU members to support Scotland's bid to remain", "Sturgeon to seek EU talks to 'protect' Scotland's membership", "Nicola Sturgeon says independence vote would be proposed 'if best or only way to protect EU place, "Brexit: Spain and France oppose Scotland EU talks", "It's wrong that Scotland might be taken out of EU, when it voted to stay.

The Conservatives, who oppose independence, saw their best election in Scotland since 1983, winning 29% of the vote and increasing their seat total to thirteen, compared to one in the previous parliament. [127], A Panelbase poll from the same month found that 17% of people thought that a referendum should be held while the UK is negotiating its exit from the European Union, 26% said that a referendum should come once the negotiations had finished, while 58% said that a referendum shouldn't be held before the United Kingdom's exit from the EU. [83][84] On 28 June 2016, Sturgeon said that "independence [...] is not my starting point in these discussions. [94] Sturgeon then publicly stated that she had five tests for any future arrangements. [113][114], Alison Evison, President of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) and Scottish Labour councillor for Aberdeenshire has stated her support for a referendum on independence, stating "We can strengthen it [democracy] by enabling the voice of Scotland to be heard through its formal processes and that must mean a referendum on independence"[115], Former First Minister Alex Salmond has shown support for a further independence referendum, claiming it is inevitable but only after what he predicts will be the ‘humiliation’ of Brexit becomes apparent for a clear choice to be made.