Poll: Support for independent Scotland up

GLASGOW, Scotland, June 9 (UPI) -- Support in Scotland for complete independence from Britain appears to be up following the Scottish National Party's election victory, a poll indicates.

Thirty-seven percent of those surveyed said they would vote for separation if a referendum were held, The (Glasgow) Herald reported Wednesday. Forty-five percent said they would reject the proposition and 18 percent said they were undecided.

The biggest change came in 5 percent moving from the undecided column to pro-independence, which was up 6 points over a poll held 18 months ago. Support for independence was especially high in Glasgow, the largest city, with 46 percent supporting it.

Young people were more likely to want independence, with 51 percent of those less than 24 years of age supporting it.

The SNP decided against a referendum after winning a plurality in the Scottish National Assembly in 2007 because no other party supported the move. But First Minister Alex Salmond, following the party's gaining a majority in the May election, has said there will be a vote on independence.

The polling company TNS-BMRB surveyed 1,022 voters. Chris Eynon of TNS-BMRB said the results might have been skewed because respondents could not choose options like remaining part of Britain while giving the Scottish government more power. The poll was conducted May 25-31. No margin of error was reported.