MOSCOW, September 13 (RIA Novosti) - The vast majority of England hopes the results of the referendum on Scottish independence will keep Scotland a part of the United Kingdom, according to a poll published Saturday.
A survey conducted by Populus for the Daily Mail among English residents revealed some 70 percent of respondents want Scotland to remain part of the UK, while 20 percent are in favor of Scotland’s secession. The survey also showed 48 percent of those polled support the idea of providing Scotland with greater autonomy, under the condition it would remain a part of the Kingdom, as opposed to 26 percent against the idea.
According to the newspaper, 56 percent of respondents claimed English, Welsh and Northern Irish people should have the right to vote on the decision. Also, 53 percent of voters are opposed to Scotland keeping the pound in a currency union should it vote for independence.
Should Scotland become independent, it would be forced to set up its own currency, join the euro, or continue to use the pound with support from the Bank of England.
While independence supporters assured the public that the British currency would be used in an independent Scotland, these hopes were shattered when British Prime Minister David Cameron and finance minister George Osborne, ruled out the possibility of a monetary union.
If the majority of Scots vote for independence in the September 18 referendum, Scotland will secede from the United Kingdom on March 24, 2016 ending its 300-year union. Previous polls showed independence supporters held a small advantage over those opposed to Scotland’s secession.
