Sturgeon bullish over independence

Oct 18 2012

Scots will vote for independence when the referendum is held in two years' time, the country's Deputy First Minister has said.

Nicola Sturgeon spoke out as the Scottish National Party (SNP) annual conference was getting under way in Perth.

It comes days after First Minister Alex Salmond and Prime Minister David Cameron signed a deal which will deliver a legally binding referendum on independence in 2014.

Mr Cameron pledged then that he would campaign to keep the United Kingdom "family" together.

And he said: "I hope that people will vote to keep this United Kingdom together."

But Ms Sturgeon said she believed Scots would opt for independence when given the chance at the ballot box.

She said: "This week's agreement between the Scottish and UK Governments ensures that we will have a referendum made in Scotland, with the outcome respected by all sides - the task now is to go out and win the argument among the people. And if we win the argument, we will win the referendum."

The Deputy First Minister cited polling evidence which suggested almost two thirds of Scots thought the SNP administration was "better at making decisions for Scotland".

A YouGov poll, commissioned by the Nationalists, found 64% of those surveyed believed this, compared to 24% who thought the UK Government was better at this.

The same poll also found 45% would be likely to vote for independence in the referendum if they could be persuaded that leaving the UK would mean their family would be economically better off.