Independence Referendum Poll

Women are less likely to be in favour of Scottish independence than men, according to Representing Border's poll of voters in the South of Scotland.

Read: "Women in the South of Scotland 'more sceptical' about independence than men"

Our reporter Kathryn Samson asked those in Galashiels - from both sides of the debate - what women want for Scotland's future.

Watch more of ITV Border's political programme Representing Scotland at the later time of 11:35pm on Thursday 9th January, for Freeview viewers in the Scottish part of the Border region.

Or catch up online by clicking this link.

Our poll in the South of Scotland suggests the campaign for independence is having more trouble persuading women than men.

The survey by ComRes for Representing Border asked 1,004 people in the Scottish Borders and Dumfries & Galloway the question voters will be asked in September's referendum:

Should Scotland be an independent country?

• 22% of women said they would vote yes, compared to 26% of men
• 61% of women said they would vote no, compared to 58% of men

We'll have more on these findings in Representing Border at the later time of 11:35pm on Thursday, 9th January. If you miss it, catch up online by clicking here.

Alex Salmond told Representing Border he would stand for election again and serve a full term as First Minister of Scotland, should his party win their campaign for independence.

He gave his first major interview of the year to Peter MacMahon, ITV Border's Political Editor.

Watch the full interview below.

Missed the first episode of Representing Border? Watch the full programme by clicking on this link.

MSPs Jim Hume and John Lamont both said the findings of ITV Border's opinion poll on independence in the South of Scotland confirms what they expected from people in the area.

Their parties are both campaigning for a no vote in September's referendum. Our exclusive poll, by ComRes, showed 59% of voters in the Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway would currently vote against independence.

However, the Scottish National Party MSP Joan McAlpine said she believed the South of Scotland would be better represented in an independent Scotland.

Better Together, the campaign against Scottish independence, said the findings of Representing Border's opinion poll in the South of Scotland was further evidence that Scots were not convinced by the benefits of independence.

A spokesman said:

“This poll is further evidence that Alex Salmond’s White Paper manifesto for breaking up the UK has failed to convince Scots. Rather than give credible answers to people on key questions like currency, the nationalists chose to publish a wish list without a price list.

"By doing this all the nationalists have done is highlight what a huge leap into the unknown independence would be.

“It comes as no surprise that the people who live cheek by jowl with our friends, families and workmates south of the border do not want to turn them into foreigners. It is a clear message to Alex Salmond that people do not buy into his politics of division.”

A spokesman for Yes Scotland, the campaign for Scottish independence, said it was "up for the challenge" of convincing people in the South of Scotland to vote yes in the referendum in September.

The spokesman was responding to the findings of an exclusive poll by ComRes for Representing Border, which said the majority of people in the South of Scotland would currently vote no.

"As we move closer to the referendum we will, of course, be stepping up our information campaign because we know from our own detailed research that the more people learn about independence the more likely they are to vote Yes.

"We will be campaigning hard in the South of Scotland as we will be in every other part of the country.

"We know we still have a lot of hard work to do to convince more people that taking our own future into our own hands makes sense for Scotland as well as the rest of the UK, but we are very much up for the challenge.

"Recent polls have shown that momentum is with us and we are confident that we can achieve a Yes vote on September 18."

ITV Border has carried out the first referendum opinion poll to focus solely on the attitudes of voters in the South of Scotland. The polling company ComRes surveyed 1,000 people in the Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway.

It started by asking whether they intend to vote yes or no in the referendum on Scottish independence.

The first results from the poll will be revealed in the launch edition of Representing Border at 10:35pm on Tuesday, 7th January for Freeview viewers in the South of Scotland.

Representing Border is ITV Border's new political programme for the South of Scotland, covering the stories from Holyrood and Westminster that matter to people in the Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway.

The programme will be presented by our Political Editor Peter MacMahon.

It will be on air on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 10:35pm for Freeview viewers in the South of Scotland (while the Scottish Parliament is in session). Satellite viewers will need to turn their televisions to Freeview.

Follow Representing Border on Twitter: @ITVBorderRB