THE latest poll showing the extent of public support for getting rid of Trident has heartened the Yes Scotland campaign, but their opponents have also hailed the results.

As reported in The Herald yesterday abolition of Trident is backed by 80% of the Scottish population, while even among No supporters 75% are in favour of scrapping the nuclear deterrent.

But the headline figure of 52% for the Union and 33% for independence, with those undecided down to 15%, brought a strong response from the Better Together Campaign as it confirmed a healthy lead.

"We welcome the fact this poll shows the number of people favouring Scotland staying in the UK continues to outweigh the number who are in favour of separation.

"However, we are acutely aware that the only poll that matters is the one in autumn next year."

Yes Scotland chief executive Blair Jenkins said: "Whether people support or oppose independence, or have yet to decide how they will vote in next year's referendum, over three quarters of Scots are against nuclear weapons. That figure rises to nearly nine in 10 among those who plan to vote Yes.

"Westminster is determined to retain the UK's nuclear arsenal, squandering billions of pounds on something that most Scots believe is neither wanted nor needed. Only a Yes vote for an independent Scotland can rid Scotland of nuclear weapons."

SNP MSP Bill Kidd – a co-president of the international organisation Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament – said: "Regardless of which side of the referendum debate people are currently on, the overwhelming majority are firmly against the renewal of Trident."