Shock poll reveals four in ten Welsh voters would back independence to stay in EU
2 min read
Four in ten Welsh voters would back the country becoming independent from the rest of the UK if it meant staying in the European Union, according to a new poll.
The YouGov study revealed that support for Wales going alone in all circumstances stands at just 24%, with 52% opposed.
That figure increases to 33% if it meant the country remaining part of the EU, compared to 48% who would still vote to stay in the UK.
Once don't knows are taken into account, support for independence in those circumstances increases to 41%.
Voters aged between 18 and 24 are the most enthusiastic about Wales becoming independent to stay in the EU, with 42% in favour and 35% against.
Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price said the poll was "sensational".
He said: "Westminster is in turmoil. Boris Johnson’s reckless Tory government and Jeremy Corbyn’s chaotic so-called opposition are wrecking Wales’s future.
"It is no wonder that we are witnessing a surge in support for a new Wales – a nation proudly taking its place as an equal partner on the international stage.
"Having overtaken Labour at the European elections, Plaid Cymru has secured its place as Wales’s true Remain party, fighting against a crash out Brexit and for future prosperity.
"Independence is moving from the margins to the mainstream. Our nation is on the march. As Boris Johnson takes us closer to the cliff edge, more and more people will demand an outward looking Wales free from Westminster’s contempt."
The latest sign of fractures in the union comes a day after a separate poll found support for Irish reunification at 51% to 49% in Northern Ireland, when don't knows are excluded.
Meanwhile a poll conducted last month for PoliticsHome's sister title Holyrood found that 52% of Scots backed independence, with 48% supporting the union, when once again, 'don't knows' are removed.
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