Poll: Scots trust Holyrood more than Westminster

THREE times as many people trust Holyrood to make decisions in the interests of Scotland as opposed to politicians at Westminster, a poll has revealed.

When asked who they trusted most to make decisions in Scotland’s best interests, 52% of Scots said Holyrood, while 17.3% said Westminster, according to the study by Survation.

When the 30.7% who said they did not know were excluded, 75% trusted Holyrood more while 25% preferred Westminster.

A total of 1,004 people were questioned for the research, which was commissioned by the Better Nation political blog in partnership with the Daily Record and Dundee University’s 5 Million Questions referendum project.

Amongst those who voted for the SNP in the 2011 Scottish Parliament election, 82.3% said they trusted Holyrood more to make decisions in the best interests of Scotland.

More than half (51.9%) of Labour supporters also preferred the Edinburgh parliament over that in London.

Almost three-fifths (57.9%) of those who backed the Tories in 2011 said they trusted Westminster more to make decisions in Scotland’s best interests.

Better Nation founder James Mackenzie said the poll suggested that if the SNP focused on the referendum, instead of trying to win both that vote and the 2016 Scottish elections, a majority of Scots could be persuaded to back independence.

He stated: “The referendum result can’t change anyone’s identity, nor can any party guarantee that we’ll be better or worse off either way. What a Yes vote would do is transfer the remaining powers from Westminster to Holyrood, and this poll suggests a clear vote for independence on that basis is within reach.

“The SNP are currently trying to win both the referendum and the election after it at the same time, but the prospects of a Yes win would be much better if they clearly distinguished their next manifesto from the principle of self-governance.

“We know Labour voters already overwhelmingly trust Holyrood more, and the campaign needs to focus on them if the referendum is to be won. If, over the next 100 days, the broader Yes campaign makes it clear the referendum is a choice between voting for Holyrood and voting for Westminster, which it really is, then Yes can win and win comfortably.”

SNP MSP Annabelle Ewing said: “Decisions about Scotland are best made in Scotland - and this poll is a welcome confirmation of the fact that the majority of people in Scotland agree, which is why a Yes vote in September is so important.

“With a Yes vote the Scottish Parliament will take all the decisions about Scotland - meaning we have the power to make Scotland a fairer, more prosperous country and will no longer have Tory governments foisted on us by Westminster.

“It is no wonder that most people in Scotland trust Holyrood more than Westminster. While the Scottish Parliament has delivered free university education, protected our NHS and sought to invest in our economy - Westminster has imposed the Bedroom Tax, welfare cuts and austerity economics.

“More than half of Labour voters trust the Scottish Parliament more than Westminster - and with Westminster’s lurch to the right it is not difficult to see why.”