Nearly half of Scots have said independence support should be at 60 per cent before a new referendum is held, according to a new poll.

A Savanta survey for Scotland On Sunday of more than 1,000 people found 45 per cent of Scots backed the plans, with 34 per cent opposing them.

It was also supported by SNP supporters and those in favour of independence.

Speaking during his run for Bute House, First Minister Humza Yousaf said independence must become the "settled will" of the Scottish people.

And, as the SNP conference unfolds in Aberdeen, the First Minister has suggested he would now back an amendment to his independence strategy

Read more: Humza Yousaf to back 'majority of seats' amendment to independence strategy

A motion from the First Minister and Westminster leader Stephen Flynn initially stated the party's preferred course of action would be considering winning the most seats at a Westminster election a mandate that must be put into "democratic effect".

But reports suggested this could be amended to a majority of seats during the debate.

A poll by the same firm for the Scottish Sun showed the original plan was opposed by 57 per cent of Scots, while 52 per cent of SNP voters at the last Holyrood election backed it.

The same debate would also include a motion that would see the 2026 Holyrood election treated as a "de facto referendum", with a majority of votes for independence-supporting parties being enough for Scotland to become independent.

The Scotland On Sunday poll suggested 46 per cent of Scots opposed the idea, while 37 per cent supported it.

The Herald: Humza Yousaf and Stephen Flynn at the 2023 SNP conference in AberdeenHumza Yousaf and Stephen Flynn at the 2023 SNP conference in Aberdeen (Image: PA)

Meanwhile, another survey by Panelbase for The Sunday Times found 47 per cent of Scots believed no result at a general election would be enough for a mandate for Scottish independence.

And 39 per cent believed any result would be enough for a mandate, but responses were spread across a number of different scenarios.

The SNP winning the most seats at an election received 15 per cent, while the party winning a majority of seats was on 13 per cent, and winning a majority of votes on 11 per cent.

Read more: Humza Yousaf's wife Nadia El-Nakla speaks of her 'complete despair' over Gaza

The same poll also sought to gauge public opinion on taxation, with the First Minister favouring a more progressive approach.

Some 65 per cent of respondents said those earning more than £28,000 should pay the same tax as the rest of the UK, with 16 per cent saying they should pay less, and 10 per cent saying tax should be higher.

But 44 per cent of respondents said they would back the creation of a new tax band for those paid between £75,000 and £125,140 - a suggestion the Humza Yousaf flirted with during his run for party leader- while 31 per cent opposed the move.