SUPPORT for independence has plummeted to just 40 per cent, a shock poll claimed last night.

The Kantar survey found that 60 per cent back the Union, after undecided voters are discounted.

1 Support for independence is down to just 40 per cent

The dismal result for the SNP compared to a 47/53 Yes/No split when the firm last asked the question last September.

It also revealed only one in four back Nicola Sturgeon’s plan to hold IndyRef2 between autumn 2018 and spring 2019.

Tom Costley, head of Kantar in Scotland, said: “One group of particular interest is those who voted Yes in the 2014 independence poll then voted Leave in the EU referendum.

“One in three of them do not want IndyRef2 at all — possibly suggesting that leaving the EU was their primary goal and independence seemed the best way to achieve it at the time.”

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Kantar quizzed 1,060 Scots from March 29 to April 11. But their findings are at odds with other surveys — including BMG Research, who this week found backing for independence has edged up to 49 per cent.

Polling guru Professor John Curtice said: “If I have three polls showing one thing and one showing another, I’m probably going to go with the three.”

SNP ban rival deal

NICOLA Sturgeon yesterday ruled out the SNP going into coalitions with the Tories after next week’s council elections.

The Nats governed with the Conservatives in two areas after the 2012 vote — East Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway.

But now Ms Sturgeon says she does not want “austerity-obsessed” Tories in charge of local services.

Speaking in a radio interview, the First Minister said: “The SNP executive committee took the decision that we wouldn’t have coalitions with a Tory party that is moving further and fuirther to the right.”

Her attack sparked a response from the Scottish Conservatives, who said it was “hard to see” why they would want an alliance with the “divisive” Nats.

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