A majority of Scots are opposed to Nicola Sturgeon's plan to hold a second referendum on independence next year, a new poll has suggested.
The First Minister wants an IndyRef2 to take place on October 19, 2023 - but only if the UK Supreme Court rules that Holyrood has the legal powers required to stage such a vote.
Judges will hear arguments from both the UK and Scottish Governments next week and are expected to take around 8-10 weeks to issue a verdict.
But a poll carried by Survation found that just 35 per cent of voters in Scotland agree that a referendum on leaving the UK should take place next year, with 53 per cent against, and 12 per cent declaring they don't know.
The poll was commissioned by the pro-UK campaign group Scotland in Union. It spoke to 1,011 residents aged 16 and over living in Scotland, with fieldwork between September 28 and 29.
The survey also found the SNP remains out in front when it comes to voting intentions at future Westminster and Holyrood elections.
If a general election was held tomorrow, 44 per cent of Scots said they would vote for Nicola Sturgeon's party - a drop of three per cent since Survation last asked the question.
Labour is on 31 per cent, an increase of seven points, while the Conservatives are on just 15 per cent - a drop of four points.
It echoes two separate opinion polls publishes yesterday which indicate the Tories face an electoral wipe-out in Scotland at the next general election.
Pamela Nash, chief executive of Scotland in Union, said: "It’s time for the SNP to start listening to the people of Scotland.
"The majority of people in Scotland do not want another divisive referendum next year and oppose the government spending millions of pounds on this."
An SNP spokesman said: "People have already voted for a referendum, in a free and fair democratic election which returned the SNP with the biggest share of the vote in the history of devolution and a record high majority of MSPs in favour of independence.
"As the Tories crash the economy, Scotland is being taken along for the ride and the only way to escape the chaos of Westminster control for good is with independence.
"It’s notable that the shadily funded Scotland in Union has nothing to say about the mess Westminster has made since 2014 and how promises made to the people of Scotland have not been delivered."
Allan Faulds, who runs the Ballot Box Scotland website, said: "Polling has now pretty consistently shown that voters remain to be convinced of the merits of holding a referendum next year, as the Scottish Government hopes.
"However, polls offering longer timescales have shown more willingness to be asked the question at some point in the next few years.
"That the question of if or when to hold a referendum remains the key point of political debate is almost certainly a contributor to the statistical dead-heat in standard Independence voting intention.
"Scotland is split down the middle on the constitution, but nobody is particularly enthused by questions of process. Until politicians on all sides of the debate start addressing more substantive issues, it seems we're stuck with this odd political stasis."
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