Despite regular marches, fewer want independence (pic: Terry Murden)

A new poll marking the fifth anniversary of the Scottish independence referendum has revealed that 59% of voters want to remain in the UK.

Only 27% of people support Nicola Sturgeon’s plan for a second referendum within 18 months and 87% of those who don’t want another referendum believe the 2014 contest was a ‘once-in-a-generation’ referendum, as promised by the SNP.

The poll will be seen as a blow to Ms Sturgeon and her party which would have been hoping to mark the anniversary with an upswing in support for a second referendum.

More than half of voters think a second referendum would make Scottish society more divided and 36% of 2014 ‘Yes’ voters now want to remain in the UK, according to the poll carried out by Survation on behalf of anti-independence group Scotland in Union.

Among former ‘Yes’ voters who now want to remain in UK, ‘protecting public services’ is the most popular reason for changing their vote, while 49% cite Nicola Sturgeon’s performance as First Minister. Nearly thirds (60%) of voters in Glasgow now support remaining in the UK.

Survation questioned 1,003 adults aged 16+ in Scotland between 12 and 16 September.