You can also hear that noise on the street in the large shopping street in Glasgow. “Sturgeon has both feet on the ground. Says it like it is. That’s the difference with Boris Johnson, who comes across as unreliable. Wow often,” says one woman.
And that while Scotland is barely doing better than England in terms of figures. The number of corona infections and corona deaths per 100 thousand inhabitants is only a fraction lower. But the dislike of Boris Johnson makes that many Scots feel much more at home with Sturgeon despite that.
“The difference between Johnson and Sturgeon is that Sturgeon radiates that she really wants to help Scots. While Johnson radiates that he is mainly concerned with keeping everyone friendly,” says one student.
According to polls, in recent months, one in five Scots who voted against independence in 2014 has now changed their mind. 79 percent of young people up to the age of 25 are in favor of independence.
Depending on Johnson
“What is striking is that thanks to Brexit, and now Corona, the economic argument is less important,” says Curtice. “While in 2014 that was the decisive factor for a majority to vote against. Many economists agree that an independent Scotland will get it anything but easy.”
Although a new referendum has not been arranged just like that. This requires the support of the British Parliament in Westminster. And they are not eager. Johnson has consistently said that not a generation has passed since the last plebiscite, referring to the words of Salmond. So that he will not approve it.
Still, the pressure on him will increase sharply next year, especially if Sturgeon’s SNP gets an absolute majority in the regional elections for the Scottish Parliament in May. And that is what it seems with the current polls.
“That was in 2011, when the SNP first achieved an absolute majority in Scotland, enough for David Cameron’s then government to allow a referendum,” Curtice said. “There is precedent for it. And that makes it very difficult for the British government to say no to a new referendum.”
–
