News Digest

Gaining steam: More Scots support independence push, poll shows

A new opinion poll published has put Scotland’s pro-independence camp ahead for the first time in the campaign, just 11 days before a referendum on splitting from Britain. The YouGov/Sunday Times poll gave the “Yes” camp 51 per cent support compared to the “No” camp’s 49 per cent, excluding undecided voters. Although the two-point lead is within the margin of error, the findings dramatically up the stakes ahead of the vote on September 18, handing momentum to First Minister Alex Salmond’s (pic above) Scottish National Party (SNP). The Sunday Times also reported that Queen Elizabeth II feels “a great deal of concern” over the independence vote and has asked for daily updates.

It is not the Battle of Britain — it is the battle for Scotland, for Scotland’s children and grandchildren and the generations to come. This is a battle we will win.

Alistair Darling, leader of the Better Together campaign

Any vote for Scotland to leave Britain would raise questions about Britain’s standing in the international community and could put pressure on Cameron to stand down. Scotland represents one-third of Britain’s landmass and is home to Britain’s Trident nuclear deterrent, which the SNP says must be out of an independent Scotland by 2020. Salmond wants Queen Elizabeth to remain head of state of an independent Scotland but the Sunday Times quoted an aide as saying this was “not a given”. Britain’s main parties, including Prime Minister David Cameron’s Conservatives, are now expected to reveal a plan for handing more powers to Scots in a bid to keep the 300-year-old union together.