The SNP and Greens have been accused of having the ‘wrong priorities’ after a new poll revealed that only 12% of Scots think independence is among the most important issues for the government.
The Survation poll found that the NHS is by far the most important issue for voters, followed by Covid recovery, economy and jobs, education, and the climate emergency.
Even among those who voted SNP in this year’s Holyrood election, only 26% said independence should be a priority.
Among young people aged 16-to-34, just 10% selected independence and 28% said the climate emergency.
But revealing her programme for government this week, Nicola Sturgeon prioritised the constitution in her opening remarks.
The poll also found that only 23% of people in Scotland think holding a referendum on independence within the current parliamentary session should be a priority, when asked to choose from the SNP and Greens’ agreed policy programme.
And 41% of respondents said dropping proposals for another referendum would make Scottish society more united.
Pamela Nash, chief executive of Scotland in Union, said:
“This confirms that the new SNP and Green coalition has the wrong priorities.
“People in Scotland are clear that their government should focus on what really matters – the NHS, Covid recovery, jobs and the climate emergency – not an old constitutional debate that divides the country.
“Nicola Sturgeon’s priorities are so skewed she’s not even listening to her own voters.
“It’s time she focused on the job in hand as we recover from the devastating pandemic and face up to the climate disaster.
“As part of the UK we can build a recovery that leaves nobody behind and work together to tackle the climate crisis.”
Read more on our polling here.
Poll conducted by Survation for Scotland in Union
Fieldwork: 31st August – 1st September 2021
Sample size: 1,040
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