SNP meltdown as TWO polls find Scots would vote AGAINST independence and just a third believe Nicola Sturgeon has been honest in Alex Salmond row

• Two separate polls have found majority of Scots support staying in the union
• Major setback for Nicola Sturgeon as she pushes for a re-run of 2014 referendum
• Large proportion do not believe she has been honest in row with Alex Salmond 

The SNP’s meltdown gathered pace today as two polls found Scots would reject independence in a referendum – with Nicola Sturgeon hugely damaged by her public war with Alex Salmond.

A majority said they backed the union in separate surveys after a long run of results suggesting separatists would win a new vote north of the border.

Savanta Comres research for Scotland on Sunday gave a 52-48 per cent margin for ‘no’, excluding those who said they were not sure. Meanwhile, a Panelbase poll for the Sunday Times gave a 51-49 per cent split, and suggested just a third believe she has been entirely honest about in the spat with Mr Salmond. 

The findings will cause fresh panic in the SNP, and are a boost for Boris Johnson after growing alarm about Ms Sturgeon’s drive to break up the UK.

A Panelbase poll for the Sunday Times gave a 51-49 per cent split, and suggested just a third believe Nicola Sturgeon has been entirely honest about in the spat with Alex Salmond

Ms Sturgeon has been facing a huge backlash over the handling of allegations against her SNP predecessor Alex Salmond 

The SNP insists that if it wins Holyrood elections in May it will have a mandate for a re-run of the 2014 referendum, even though both sides agreed at the time it was a ‘once in a generation’ decision. 

Mr Johnson has said he will not give permission for the vote, leaving the nationalists threatening to hold a ‘wildcat’ version that would not have any legal standing. 

However, there has been a significant shift in the polls over recent weeks, with Ms Sturgeon facing attacks from former friend Alex Salmond that she broke the ministerial code over handling of allegations against him.

The UK government has also been credited with a strong vaccine rollout. 

Ms Sturgeon’s nerves showed through last week as she tried to play down a renewed SNP push for a Scottish independence referendum this year. 

The party’s Westminster leader Ian Blackford reiterated the goal even though support for breaking up the union. 

But Ms Sturgeon refused to repeat the timetable when challenged about it at a daily Covid briefing.   

The Savanta ComRes survey was carried out in the two days after the current First Minister appeared before the committee.

It found 35 per cent of respondents said the inquiry was making them less likely to vote for independence.

Savanta Comres research for Scotland on Sunday gave a 52-48 per cent margin for ‘no’, excluding those who said they were not sure

Some 16 per cent said the inquiry was making them more likely to vote Yes, with 41 per cent saying it had made no difference

According to the poll, 43 per cent said their trust in Ms Sturgeon had fallen due to the inquiry. 

The Panelbase research found just one in three Scottish voters believe Ms Sturgeon has been entirely honest about the Salmond affair.

A third of voters wanted the First Minister to resign – with the figure rising to 61 per cent if she is found to have broken the ministerial code by an independent review.  

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