THE SNP is starting to win the argument over independence because it is governing well, an SNP minister claimed yesterday.
Mike Russell, the environment minister, was responding to a poll that showed greater backing for independence than for the Union.
The TNS System Three opinion poll found 41 per cent of Scots wanted the SNP government to negotiate an independence
settlement, compared to 40 per cent who are opposed to breaking up the UK. Speaking on BBC Scotland's Politics Show, Mr Russell said more people would come round to independence the longer the SNP was in government in Scotland.
He said: "What we have seen in the last 12 months is a steady swing towards the idea of independence.
"I have always believed throughout my political career that if the SNP is governing and governing well, which we are trying to do, then the people will realise that if we can govern well in some things, we can govern well in all things.
"That's exactly what I think we are seeing so I think as time goes on, I expect the numbers will improve even more."
Mr Russell added that the Labour government in London had helped further the cause of independence by "bullying" Scotland, withholding money and "picking fights" with Holyrood.
"I'm sure that is having an effect because no-one in Scotland, no-one anywhere, likes to be bullied," he said.
The TNS poll is the second in the last week to show more than 40 per cent support for independence.
Professor John Curtice, an elections expert from Strathclyde University, warned the polls were slightly misleading because voters were only being asked to choose between independence and the status quo; they were not getting a choice of more powers for the parliament – as is likely to be the option in a referendum.
But he added that the SNP had won back the ground it lost during the election campaign last year when support for independence slumped.
The full article contains 333 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
