76% of non-Scots want Scotland to stay in the UK

17 September 2014

·         76% of non-Scots want Scotland to stay in the Union finds latest poll by Opinium

·         Tory voters most likely to support the union

·         Final televised debate to be aired tonight on C4 hours before the polls open

·         Jon Snow to chair panel including business leaders, politicians, celebrities

·         Undecided voters will track debate showing which arguments persuade them

A clear majority – 76% - of people outside of Scotland would vote for the country to stay part of the United Kingdom if they were given the chance, a latest poll has found. This compares to 24% who would vote Yes in the referendum.[1]

The survey of almost 2,000 people across England, Wales and Northern Ireland was carried out by Opinium just three days before the polls open in Scotland on Thursday morning to decide whether it should be an independent country.

81% of people in Wales voted in favour of Scotland staying, compared to 76% in England and 84% in Northern Ireland.

Conservative voters were most likely to support Scotland staying in the Union with 82% of those polled saying they would vote no in the referendum if they could.  That compared to 77% of Labour voters and 77% of Liberal Democrat voters.

Older people were more likely to vote for the union with 84% of those aged 55 and over saying they supported the UK as it stands compared to 73% aged 18-34.

Women were more in favour of union than men with 79% saying they did not support an independent Scotland compared to 74% of men.

The poll comes as Channel 4 News’ Jon Snow prepares to host a final debate tonight, just hours before the voting booths open on Thursday morning. The Great British Break-Up? The Live Debate, produced by ITN Productions, will be broadcast live at 10pm on C4 on Wednesday September 17.

The panel show, held at Mansfield Traquair in Edinburgh, will feature politicians from both side of the referendum divide along with high-profile speakers, business leaders and experts on the constitution and issues such as currency.

The line-up includes high-profile names from the words of culture, business, health, media, politics and law. In the No camp, among others, is entrepreneur Michelle Mone, editor and journalist Fraser Nelson, Sir Menzies Campbell the former Liberal Democrat leader and comedian Rory Bremner. Panellists supporting the Yes campaign include fashion designer Vivienne Westwood, the actor Brian Cox, actress Elaine C Smith and Stagecoach boss Sir Brian Souter.

In addition to audience members from across Scotland there will also be voices from the public from around the rest of the UK.

A pool of 50 undecided voters will also take part. They will be provided with voting pads and will demonstrate which arguments best persuade them throughout the programme.

Jon Snow said: “It’s decision time. With just hours to go before Scotland votes, the fate of the whole United Kingdom hangs in the balance. We’ll hear live from those on both sides of the debate and watch to see which arguments, if indeed any, are able to sway our undecided voters.”

Viewers are encouraged to show their own allegiances live by using the hashtag #breakupyes and #breakupno during the programme.

The Great British Break-Up? The Live Debate, produced by ITN Productions, will be broadcast live at 10pm on C4.

[1] All figures exclude respondents with answers of “don’t know” and those who would not vote.

 

Press Contact:

Laura Roberts, ITN

Notes to journalists:

The research was conducted online by CAWI (computer aided web interviewing), using Opinium’s online research panel:

1.       1,785 non-Scots living in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.  The fieldwork was conducted between the 15th and 16th September 2014. Results have been weighted to nationally representative criteria.

 

About Opinium Research LLP

Opinium Research is a full service insight agency offering quantitative and qualitative marketing research and consultancy across a range of sectors. These include consumer markets, financial services and insurance, technology, business to business, advertising and media, automotive, business and leisure travel, politics and healthcare. Opinium’s offering spans consultancy, syndicated, Omnibus and field and data services. Opinium runs a daily low-cost online Omnibus survey interviewing 2000 UK adults per wave.

Opinium – What People Think, Feel and Do. www.opinium.co.uk

[1] All figures exclude respondents with answers of “don’t know” and those who would not vote.