A recent YouGov survey of over a thousand people showed that 21% of respondents would support Welsh independence if there was a referendum tomorrow, while 57% said they would vote against.
‘Indycuriosity’
A second question asked:
On a scale of 0 to 10, where 0 is very strongly against and 10 is very strongly in favour, how do you feel about Welsh independence?
The way people answer these type of questions is obviously very subjective. But the answers seem to suggest that 20% were in favour of independence, ticking boxes between seven and 10. A further 24% of people were in the middle, giving an answer between four and six. Finally, 44% of people were not in favour of Welsh Independence, answering between zero and three on the survey.
Commentators have pointed out that many people who responded were either “Indy-Confident” or “Indy-curious“. Dafydd Trystan wrote for Nation Cymru:
[This] data clearly suggest that while a majority of the Welsh electorate do not favour Welsh independence today a significant minority are well disposed towards the idea.
A movement gathering momentum
This new data comes at a time of heightened interest in Welsh independence.
Three mass marches for Welsh independence have been held during 2019, while local councils have voted for independence. In August, The Canary wrote:
In July, at least 8,000 supporters of an independent Wales marched through the streets of Caernafon. The number of demonstrators had doubled since an indyWales march in Cardiff in May…
Earlier this year, Gwynedd county councillors voted overwhelmingly for Welsh independence. Town and community councils across Wales have made the same step and voted for independence recently.
A march in September in Merthyr Tydfil was attended by 5,000 people. Merthyr Tydfil is a Labour Party stronghold, and Labour supporters have previously opposed independence.
All Under One Banner Cymru spokesperson Llywelyn ap Gwilym said at the time:
With the anti-democratic mess that is currently happening in Westminster, it is more important than ever for Wales to make its voice heard, and for the people of Wales to realise that there is a viable alternative: independence.
Featured image via Wikimedia – Llywelyn2000
