A POLL CONDUCTED for The Times newspaper in the UK has found that 57% of Scots want to stay in the UK.

The poll was conducted by YouGov and found a 57:43 lead in favour of staying in the union when ‘don’t knows’ were excluded.

It suggests that Nicola Sturgeon’s Scottish National Party has some ground to make up if it is to realise its stated goal of leaving the UK.

Even though the 14-point gap may be significant, it is less than the 24-point gap that existed when the 2014 referendum was announced.

Theresa May and Nicola Sturgeon meeting in Edinburgh last year. PA Wire / PA Images PA Wire / PA Images / PA Images

Scottish First Minister Sturgeon yesterday confirmed that she intends to pursue another referendum on independence before the UK leaves the EU.

Any such referendum would need the backing of the UK government at Westminster for it to be binding.

It is belived that Prime Minister Theresa May’s government is preparing to reject Sturgeon’s timeline for a new referendum.

As well as The Times, other UK newspapers have also have front pages that may worry Scottish nationalists.

The Telegraph claims for example that another poll also suggests that Scots are growing more Eurosceptic and many not risk leaving the union to stay in the EU.

The Guardian meanwhile reports that a “compromise deal” may yet avert another referendum.

Read: One step closer: Theresa May gets green light to start Brexit process >

Poll: Should Scotland hold another referendum on independence from the UK? >