Scottish-Nordic similarity perceived by nationalists

Scottish nationalists argue that Scotland shares more in common with Nordic countries than with the rest of the United Kingdom. A YouGov poll found that between 52% and 61% of prospective SNP voters say Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway or Sweden are somewhat similar to Scotland, while only 31% of that group say England is similar. Those views are often cited to support calls for closer social and political alignment with Scandinavian models.

Supporters of unionist parties express a contrasting view. Only 22% to 31% of Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat supporters describe Scotland as similar to Nordic nations, while 62% say Scotland has more in common with England. Respondents in Denmark and Sweden (58% and 56%, respectively) often acknowledge some likeness to Scotland, but they do not consistently rate Scotland as closer to them than to England or the UK as a whole.