As Scotland campaign enters final day, pendulum swings back to ‘No’

New opinion polls indicated Scotland could narrowly reject independence as the rival campaigns battled into Wednesday, the final day before a historic vote that could split the United Kingdom. Three polls released late Tuesday all showed the pro-independence side had gained ground in the final weeks of the debate, but that the “No” campaign was still ahead by a slim margin. The rival camps are set to fight until the last moment for victory in Thursday’s referendum, with the Better Together and Yes Scotland campaigns both planning rallies of supporters in central Glasgow on the eve of the vote. In a letter to the people of Scotland, first minister and leader of the pro-independence Scottish National Party Alex Salmond urged the electorate to take its historic chance to end the 307-year-old union.

The talking is nearly done. The campaigns will have had their say. What’s left is just us—the people who live and work here. The only people with a vote. The people who matter.

Alex Salmond, pro-independence leader

All three polls showed that support for independence had increased, but that when undecided voters were excluded, independence was set to be rejected by 52 per cent to 48 per cent. The ICM poll for The Scotsman newspaper said “No” support was ahead on 45 per cent to 41 per cent, with 14 per cent of voters still undecided. Opinium said 49 per cent of respondents to their survey of 1,156 backed staying in the union, with 45 per cent set to vote for independence and 6 per cent undecided. Meanwhile, a Survation poll for the Scottish Daily Mail said 47.7 per cent would vote “No” to independence, and 44.1 per cent would vote “Yes”, with 8.3 per cent choosing “don’t know”.

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