SCOTLAND’s Remain voters are shifting in favour of independence because of Brexit, according to recent polls.

Professor Sir John Curtice said an overview of polls since last June showed a marked swing in favour of Yes among people who voted Remain or didn’t vote in the EU referendum, with Leave voters solidly backing No.

In a new analysis on the What Scotland Thinks website, Sir John said eight polls in the second half of 2018 suggested Scottish Remain voters were evenly split on independence.

But four polls carried out between April and June this year found most Remain voters backed independence, at 51 per cent for and 42% against, omitting don’t knows.

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Among those who didn’t vote in the EU referendum, including those under 18 at the time, support for independence rose from 55% to 59% between the two polling periods.

Sir John wrote: “In short, not only have recent polls suggested that there has been something of an increase in support for independence in recent months, but also that this rise has occurred entirely among those who voted Remain (and those who did not vote in 2016).”

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The April-June polls found support for independence at 48%, against the 45% result of the 2014 referendum.

Sir John added: “It would seem that the Brexit impasse has motivated some Remain supporters in recent months to re-evaluate their attitudes towards the union.

“The Brexit process could potentially change the balance of support for independence versus staying in the Union - and so determine the future of the British state.”