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A YouGov poll of 1,142 Scottish adults from August 6-10 found SNP ministers were given positive feedback for protecting millions of jobs in Scotland and the country’s economy – despite some of the measures coming from the Treasury. In the poll, nearly half of Scots (49 percent) said Nicola Sturgeon’s Government north of the border had performed well in protecting jobs, while 29 percent said it had done badly. Half of those quizzed (50 percent) were positive about the work done to protect the Scottish economy during the coronavirus pandemic, compared to just under a third (31 percent) who had a negative view.

Treasury figures have shown 155,000 people in Scotland have been supported by the furlough scheme, which was designed and implemented by Chancellor Rishi Sunak.

The massive scheme, costing tens of billions of pounds, initially 80 percent of salaries to help employers avoid making workers redundant.

But while Ms Sturgeon’s Government have the powers to change business rates and income tax, key decisions made on VAT, National Insurance and tax allowances are still made by Westminster.

Lord Digby Jones, a crossbench peer in the House of Lords, has accused Ms Sturgeon of taking the credit by spending money the UK Government in Scotland, and claimed the country would have been “bankrupt” without those vital funds.

Digby Jones wrote on Twitter: “So 49% of Scots think that La Suprema Sturgeon has ‘done well in protecting jobs in Scotland’.

“Amazing what you can achieve when, as all good Socialists do, you spend other people’s money then take the credit.

“Go on Nicola: tell ‘em it’s England’s money you’ve been spending & that Scotland would have been bankrupt months ago without England’s support.

“How does that fit with an independent Scotland Nicola?

“I’d stick to sorting out A-level results if I were you; ah! you’re bad at that as well!”

This comes as a YouGov poll of 1,142 Scottish adults from August 6-10 revealed support for independence – something Ms Sturgeon continues to campaign for – is continuing to grow in the country.

“Yes” is on 53 percent and “No” is on 47 percent – the largest lead of any YouGov poll on the matter.

This is driven by 30 percent of those who voted “No” last time and then Remain in the 2016 Scottish independence referendum, now saying they would vote “Yes”.

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In another YouGov poll, SNP voters demanded English tourists be banned from crossing the border to Scotland, as coronavirus travel and quarantine rules continue to be tightened.

The poll of 1,134 Scottish people found more than half (54 percent) of SNP voters don’t want English tourists to be able to cross the border.

This compares with just over a third (37 percent) of Scottish Labour supporters and 19 percent of those who voted for the Scottish Conservatives in last December’s general election.

Just over half (52 percent) of Scots who voted “Yes” in the 2014 independence referendum also oppose letting in English tourists without entering a period of quarantine.

Fifty-five percent of “No” voters support allowing English tourists into Scotland.

Overall, 47 percent of people quizzed in the poll supported English tourists being able to enter the country without a period of isolation.

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