SUPPORT for Scottish independence has reached 56 per cent, according to a new poll.

The Ipsos’ Scottish Political Monitor, run in partnership with STV News, is the second survey since the Supreme Court ruled that Holyrood could not hold a referendum without the consent of Westminster. 

In the immediate aftermath of the verdict, Nicola Sturgeon confirmed that she was set to push ahead with a plan to make the next general election a ‘de facto’ referendum. 

According to the poll, she would win that ‘de facto’ referendum. 

When explicitly asked who they would vote for in those circumstances, 53% would back the SNP, while 2% would vote for the pro-independence Greens. 

Even if the next general election is fought as a general election, the SNP would win the support of 51% of Scottish voters, while Labour would take 25% and the Tories winning just 13%. 

According to STV’s analysis, that would translate into 58 seats for the SNP, and just one for Anas Sarwar’s party. The Tories would lose all of their Scottish MPs.

On the best time to hold another referendum – 35% think there should be one before the end of 2023, while 17% want it between 2024 and 2026, and 17% later than 2026.

The proportion saying there should never be another referendum is down five points since May, at 26%.

The poll was raised at Prime Minister’s Questions by the SNP’s new Westminster leader, Stephen Flynn.

He told Rishi Sunak that he would need to “up his game.” 

“In the last 15 minutes, a poll has landed which shows the support for Scottish independence has now hit 56% and support for the Scottish National Party sits north of 50%.

“So in that context, can I ask the Prime Minister Does he consider the increase in energy bills on households in energy-rich Scotland by a further £500 will cause those poor numbers to rise or to fall?”

The Tory leader replied: “What we're delivering for households across the United Kingdom, including those in Scotland is £55bn of support with energy bills. 

“It will save a typical homeowner about £900 on their bills this winter with extra support for the most vulnerable and that is an example of the United Kingdom and the union delivering for people in Scotland.”

Ms Sturgeon remains the most popular of the Scottish party leaders, holding a net favourability rating of  +9.

Mr Sarwar’s ratings have fallen – some 40% are satisfied with his performance as Scottish Labour leader, while 37% are dissatisfied and 23% don’t know enough to rate him, giving him a rating of +3.

Sir Keir Starmer has a net satisfaction of -13 now, while Mr Sunak is on -21.

Asked about their priorities, 41% of Scots were worried about the NHS, up 14 points since May.

Inflation and the rising cost of living came in second at 28%, followed by education 23% and Scottish independence 23%.

Emily Gray, managing director of Ipsos in Scotland said: “These new results from Ipsos and STV News show an increase in both support for independence and support for the SNP.

"Whether this is a temporary ‘bounce’ in the wake of the recent Supreme Court judgement or a longer-lasting trend remains to be seen.

“Meanwhile, with the judgement narrowing the legal pathways to a second referendum, the SNP is considering treating the next General Election as a de facto referendum on independence. This is a high-risk strategy for the party, who secured 45% of the vote in 2019.

“However, the indication from this poll is that, at this stage at least, this is not harming their electoral chances.

“At the same time, there are some indications that wider public ratings of the SNP have slipped.

"While the SNP remains comparatively more trusted than other parties, trust in their ability to manage a range of crucial issues – including the NHS and the economy – has fallen significantly over the last 18 months.”