For Episode 7 of the Scot Goes Popcast, I was joined by Chris McEleny, the Alba Party’s lead candidate in the West Scotland electoral region. Before joining Alba, Chris was leader of the SNP group on Inverclyde Council, and has twice been a candidate in elections for depute leader of the SNP.
We discussed a broad range of campaign issues, but in particular I asked him about the penultimate result in the Scot Goes Pop / Panelbase poll, which I can now reveal…
If the pandemic hasn’t completely ended by 2022 or 2023, do you think it would be reasonable to go ahead with an independence referendum on the same basis as the current election, with safety measures and social distancing?
Yes 43%
No 44%
With Don’t Knows removed –
Yes 49%
No 51%
The virtually even split among the whole sample is startling enough, because there was a slim anti-independence majority in this poll, and you’d expect most No voters to be opposed to holding an indyref at any time, let alone during the pandemic. However, among Yes voters and SNP voters, the results are remarkable…
If the pandemic hasn’t completely ended by 2022 or 2023, do you think it would be reasonable to go ahead with an independence referendum on the same basis as the current election, with safety measures and social distancing?
2019 SNP voters only:
Yes 75%
No 16%
2014 pro-independence voters only:
Yes 73%
No 18%
Current pro-independence voters:
Yes 81%
No 10%
The SNP leadership have thus far set themselves against any prospect of a referendum until the crisis is totally resolved – witness Nicola Sturgeon on the leaders’ debate tonight talking about a referendum “in due course, in the fullness of time”, which as someone pointed out to me is language that is used almost word-for-word as a euphemism for “never” in an episode of Yes Minister. But it appears SNP supporters take a radically different view and can see no reason for an indefinite delay. Which is perfectly understandable, given that we’re in the middle of a Scottish Government approved demonstration that a democratic event can be conducted in a safe and orderly manner in spite of the circumstances.
You can listen to the podcast either via the embedded player below, or at the direct link HERE.
You can also catch up with previous episodes of the Popcast –
