European Union: Support for EU falls among Scots, says TNS

Support for staying in the European Union has fallen among Scots, but the pro-EU campaign still holds a twenty per cent lead over its rivals, according to new polling from TNS.

The poll shows 44 per cent of Scots would opt to remain in the EU, down from 49 per cent in May 2015, while 21 per cent would vote to leave, a rise of two per cent from May 2015.

Meanwhile 29 per cent say they do not know how they would vote. A further two per cent refused to answer and four per cent said they would not vote.

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Tom Costley, Head of TNS Scotland, said: “With the referendum on membership of the EU looking increasingly likely to take place in 2016, people may be starting to focus on Britain’s membership of the European Union, despite  concerns expressed by the First Minister about holding the referendum in June so soon after elections to the devolved assemblies.

“With such a high level of ‘Don’t Knows’ it’s still all to play for, and there remains a positive view of the European Union in Scotland.”

The poll found 49 per cent of men and 39 per cent of women supported staying in the EU. Women made up a higher proportion of undecideds, with 34 per cent of women saying they were unsure, versus 23 per cent of men.

TNS Scotland interviewed a sample of 1016 adults aged 16+ between 6 and 25 January 2016.

There is still no date set on the planned referendum on the UK’s membership of the EU, with Prime Minister David Cameron currently negotiating a draft deal to reform the UK’s relationship with Brussels.

Nicola Sturgeon, Carwyn Jones and Arlene Foster wrote to the Prime Minister earlier this week, urging him to hold off on a referendum “at least until later in the year”, given devolved elections are taking place in May.