Janice R. Andrews
The Scottish National Party (SNP) tried to get Scotland to become an independent country, but the people chose to stay a part of the UK. A new study shows that support for the Union has grown since the 2014 referendum. More Scots now say they would vote to stay in the UK if there were another election.
A YouGov poll found that 56% of Scots now want to stay in the Union and 44% want to break away. This is a small rise in support for the Union compared to the first vote in 2014, when voters split 55–45 in favour of staying in the UK.
More people back the union
The results show that people’s feelings have changed since 2014, with the number of people who want to stay in the UK slightly growing. The study, which was done from August 29 to September 3, asked 1,063 Scots about their opinions on independence. It was released before the 10th anniversary of the vote in 2014.
One important thing to learn from the poll is that more people are against having another vote in the next five years. The poll shows that 51% of people don’t think there should be another vote on independence in that amount of time, while 37% think there should be another vote. Also, 80% of those who answered don’t think Scotland will become separate in the next five years.
A “Decade of Division” and Calls for Coming Together
A lot of leaders from the other side have used the occasion to demand an end to what they call a “decade of division.” Craig Hoy, head of the Scottish Conservative Party, told the SNP to stop trying to get another vote and instead work on making Scotland’s public services better.
Hoy said, “On the tenth anniversary of the independence vote, it’s time for the SNP to end ten years of fighting and let Scotland heal.” He said that the SNP was wrong for not accepting the results of the 2014 election, which they had called a “once-in-a-lifetime” chance. Hoy says that the SNP’s focus on independence has paralysed Scottish politics, leaving public services unattended and leading to more deaths from drugs and booze and problems with the economy.
Hoy brought up the SNP’s success in the most recent election, when the party lost a lot of seats, going from 48 to nine instead. He said that the people had already spoken on the party’s plan for freedom.
The Next Few Years in Politics
Parties that support the union, like the Scottish Conservatives, Labour, and Liberal Democrats, think that the next election for Holyrood in 2026 will be a chance for people to stop the SNP from running everything in Scotland. Anas Sarwar, the head of the Scottish Labour Party, agreed with Hoy and said that the last ten years have been full of “turbulence, division, and decline.” He wanted a different future that was focused on improving public services, getting the economy back on track, and starting over as a country.
Alex Cole-Hamilton, the head of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, said at the party’s conference that the 2026 election would be a chance to “close the book on this divisive period in our politics.” He said that the SNP’s long time in power was bad and told Scots to vote for change.
The SNP’s Position and the Campaign for Independence
Even though there is more resistance to holding another vote, SNP leaders are still sure that Scotland’s path to independence is far from over. On the 10th anniversary of the vote, First Minister John Swinney said he was hopeful about Scotland’s future. He talked about the problems of the last ten years, like the effects of recession, Brexit, the cost of living crisis, and the global pandemic. In a way that reminded me of the energy and excitement around the 2014 vote, Swinney called for a new sense of hope and confidence.
Alex Salmond, who was First Minister and led the Yes movement in 2014, thinks that Scotland will become independent within the next ten years. Salmond said in a speech, “I believe we will be free in ten years.” “I believe we will say, “Thank God we had a second chance” in the future.”
Nicola Sturgeon, who took over as First Minister and leader of the SNP after Salmond, is also still sure that the independence movement will win in the end. As Sturgeon wrote in the Daily Record, the independence movement had its problems, but she was optimistic about the long-term chances of Scotland leaving the UK. Even though it doesn’t look likely right now, Sturgeon said, “I am as sure as ever that we will get there.”
What Stands in Store for Scotland in the Future
Support for the Union has grown a little, but the fight over Scotland’s future is still very divisive. A lot of people seem to have different ideas. The SNP is still pushing for independence, while many leaders who support the Union want to put more attention on government and public services.
The 2026 Holyrood election will be the next big test for Scotland’s political future. It could show clearly how people feel about independence and the SNP’s continued role in Scottish politics. As people in the country think back on the last ten years, it remains to be seen whether calls for unity will be heard by voters or whether the movement for independence will pick up speed again.
That being said, the anniversary of the 2014 vote shows how divided Scotland’s politics still are and how hard things will be for both sides of the independence fight in the coming years.
