A poll has shown that 21% of people would vote in favour of Welsh independence if there was a referendum.
However, there is still huge opposition - and there is more support in Wales to abolish the Assembly than for independence.
The latest YouGov poll for ITV Cymru Wales and Cardiff University found 21% of the 1,009 adults polled said they would vote for Welsh independence.
However, 57% said they would not.
The question was: "If there was a referendum tomorrow on Wales becoming an independent country and this was the question, how would you vote? Should Wales be an independent country?"
| Yes | 21% |
| No | 56% |
| Would not vote | 8% |
| Don’t know | 12% |
| Refused | 3% |
A separate question asked: If there was a referendum tomorrow on abolishing the National Assembly for Wales and this was the question, how would you vote? Should Wales abolish the National Assembly for Wales?
| Yes | 24% |
| No | 47% |
| Would not vote | 8% |
| Don’t know | 17% |
| Refused | 4% |
Comparing like-for-like results of adults, it is the highest level of support for independence in this type of poll.
Cardiff University's Roger Awan-Scully said: "This is the highest level of support for independence in any poll using this multi-option that I can recall; certainly the highest that we have seen in any Barometer poll. But such support is still a little lower than support for abolition.
"Overall, our new Barometer poll suggests: Some rise in support for Welsh independence; Support for independence in Wales still lower than for abolishing the Assembly; Support for both still well below support for devolution but lots of 'wishful thinking'!"
A further question gave respondents various options to look at:
Thinking about the National Assembly for Wales, which of these statements comes closest to your view?
| There should be no devolved government in Wales | 17% |
| The National Assembly for Wales should have fewer powers | 8% |
| We should leave things as they are now | 24% |
| The National Assembly for Wales should have more powers | 18% |
| Wales should become independent, separate from the UK | 14% |
| Don’t know | 16% |
| Refused | 3% |
The sample were also asked: "Imagine that Scotland left the United Kingdom and became an independent country. In general, do you think it would have a positive or negative impact on Wales?"
Total positive: 18%
Neither positive nor negative: 37%
Total negative: 25%
Don’t know: 20%
These are further details of a poll released last week. In terms of political stories, the poll also shows a huge rise in support for the Conservatives in Wales ahead of the Assembly election in May 2021.
.jpg?w=600)
