A Poll conducted by the Fire Brigades Union Scotland has revealed overwhelming support for Scottish independence amongst its members and resulted in the FBU Scotland submitting a paper to the Scottish government calling for an independence referendum.

The Union polled 978 members and the results indicated 591 were in favour of independence.  The poll also showed a massive majority, almost 90%, in favour of an independence referendum.

However, support for the Calman Commission proposals, that would see Scotland's block grant reduced and limited tax varying powers handed to Holyrood, was backed by only one fifth of the respondents.

The FBU survey was in response to the SNP's draft bill calling for an independence referendum.  Union officials are reported to have been surprised by the poll results.

Executive Council Member, Roddy Robertson, said: "I was quite surprised myself by the result of the poll. Maybe it is because our firemen and women tend to be young. There might also be historic reasons. It is within living memory that firefighters had a bitter dispute with the Labour government."

The Scottish government welcomed the news and claimed it was evidence of growing support for independence amongst the traditional Labour movement.  The full results of the survey are expected to be published shortly.

A bitter dispute in 2002 with the then Labour led Scottish executive over pay and conditions led to the Union  disaffiliating from the Labour party in 2004.