EIGHT out of 10 SNP voters believe the party should pursue some form of ‘Plan B’ if the UK Government continues to refuse permission for another referendum, according to a new poll.

The survey, commissioned by pro-independence blog Wings Over Scotland, has found just 6% of current Yes voters back the current policy of continuing to seek a section 30 order from Westminster to hold indyref2.

The alternative plan which received the most support in the poll – at 45% - was the SNP legislating to hold a second referendum without permission and then challenging the UK Government to block it in court.

And more than a third of Yes voters – 36% – backed the idea of adopting a policy where pro-independence parties securing more than 50% of the votes would be regarded as a mandate to negotiate independence directly, without the need for a second referendum.

Meanwhile support for the current policy of waiting for permission was far higher among No voters, with 21% backing the plan compared to 6% of Yes supporters.

Nearly a third of current No voters – 32% – said they agreed pro-independence parties securing more than 50% of votes in an election should trigger independence negotiations.

And 16% said legislating to hold a second referendum without permission should be the SNP’s response.

Three out of 10 No voters said there should be something else in place or they did not know what the response should be, compared to just 13% of Yes voters.

The poll of just over 1000 voters appears to put many Yes voters at odds with the SNP’s policy, with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon repeatedly insisting a legally binding referendum is the only way for the country to win independence.

Speaking last week she dismissed claims that the SNP winning a majority of seats in the Scottish Parliament would be enough for independence to be declared.

She said: “We have to demonstrate majority support for independence in a process that is legal and legitimate and that crucially – not just domestically in the UK but internationally and in Europe in particular – will be accepted. That is the right way to go.”

In July, on his first visit to Scotland after becoming Prime Minister, Boris Johnson declared there was “no reason” for a second independence referendum and people had been assured it was a “once in a generation event” in 2014.

Last month he again ruled out giving permission for indyref2 saying: “They were promised this was a once-in-a-generation thing and I think we should stick with that.”

However Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has indicated he would “not rule out” consent for a second referendum, although it would be not be authorised by his government in its “formative years”.

With polls suggesting the SNP could win 50 seats in the next general election – which could be imminent as a result of the Brexit chaos – the party could have decisive influence in a hung parliament.

Responding to the poll’s findings an SNP spokesman said: “Scotland is closer to independence than ever before and we should stick with that course, because it’s the right one and it will be the successful one.

“If there was a shortcut to independence we would have taken it by now.

“A legal, internationally recognised referendum is essential in order to take our place as an internationally recognised independent nation.”

He added: “Our opponents know this – that’s why they’re so desperate to try and get us to change course.

“No party has the right to stand in the way of democracy. There is a mandate for a referendum and it should be respected.”

Meanwhile Scots want the question for indyref 2 to be the same as in the 2014 referendum, a poll published yesterday has revealed.

The survey by Progress Scotland found 77% of voters would be “satisfied” if the question remained as “Should Scotland become a independent country?”.

There have also been calls for a Leave or Remain question instead.