Polls on eve of referendum suggest Scots to vote ‘No’

17/09/2014

Edinburgh (AFP) – Opinion polls on the eve of Scotland’s historic referendum suggest voters will narrowly reject independence, as the rival camps battle on, aware the result remains too close to call.

Three polls released late Tuesday showed the pro-independence side gaining ground, but with the “No” campaign still ahead by a slim margin.

The rival camps are set to slug it out until the last moment in a bid to win over the still substantial section of undecided voters ahead of Thursday’s referendum, with the Better Together and Yes Scotland campaigns both planning rallies in central Glasgow on Wednesday.

In a letter to the people of Scotland, first minister and leader of the pro-independence Scottish National Party (SNP) 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,” Salmond wrote.

“Wake up on Friday morning to the first day of a better country. Wake up knowing you did this — you made it happen.”

“It’s about taking your country’s future into your hands. Don’t let this opportunity slip through our fingers. Don’t let them tell us we can’t. Let’s do this.”

– Narrowing gap –

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 percent to 48 percent.

The ICM poll for The Scotsman newspaper said “No” support was ahead on 45 percent to 41 percent, with 14 percent of voters still undecided.