Opposition to Independence has fallen ? with more voters now seemingly unsure where they stand on the issue of breaking ties with Britain, a new poll reveals today.

A total of 57 percent of people quizzed said they were against the idea of severing links with the UK, compared to 70 percent who opposed the move in the last poll in July.

Fewer seniors, youngsters and poorer voters now appear opposed to Independence compared to two months ago, the survey shows, while the number of unsure voters jumped from eight to 20 percent.

However, despite the drop in the level of opposition, the number of people actually supporting separation has remained relatively low and fairly static ? standing at 21 percent for the third poll running.

One political pundit last night said that he was surprised by the increase in uncertainty ? and said he thought most Bermudians had made their minds up on the long-running debate.

?The fact that there?s an increase in uncertainty seems to suggest that people are a bit more flexible and are thinking about the subject more,? he added.

Opposition to Independence has remained in the 60 percent bracket for the last year.

It stood at 66 percent last November, 62 percent in January, 66 percent in March and 65 percent in May.

The number of ?not sure? voters is now at its highest total in the last 12 months, although it stood at 17 percent last November.

The survey also asked voters if they backed the principle of Independence.

And the poll showed that support for this was higher than for any short term change, with 29 percent of voters in favour.

There was less opposition as well, with just over half (51 percent) against the idea of Independence in principle.

The results come after numerous forums on the subject and after the PLP said in August that it had no intention of putting Independence ?on the back burner?. In the same month, the Opposition called for an immediate referendum on the issue.

A breakdown of the results on support or opposition for the idea of Independence ? which emerged from the latest Research Innovations poll carried out in mid-September ? flags up some interesting trends.

Among younger voters, 53 percent said they opposed Independence ? down from nearly 80 percent two months earlier.

Nearly 20 percent of 18 to 35 year olds were in favour compared to 13 percent in July; about a quarter now said they were unsure.

Opposition among the older generation also declined.

Some 67 percent of those aged 55-plus were against breaking ties with Britain ? compared to 81 percent in July.

Nearly one in five of that age group (19 percent) backed Independence, compared to eleven percent in July, with 12 percent now uncertain.

The breakdown on salaries shows a big drop in the number of less well off voters opposed to Independence.

That figure stood at 78 percent in July and has now dipped to just under half (49 percent).

Only three percent of people with a household income of less than $50,000 were unsure on the issue two months ago.

Now those in the undecided camp make up 26 percent.

Support in that group has also risen since the last poll, up from 17 to 24 percent.

Support for Independence among the middle classes, however, has fallen from 30 to 20 percent.

Nearly 20 percent of the $50,000 to $100,000 salary range are also now unsure on the topic, compared to seven percent in the summer.

Opposition among richer voters earning $100,000-plus has fallen from 70 to 62 percent since the last poll, support is up to 21 from 17 percent while the number of those unsure has gone up five percent to 16.

The in-depth race breakdown suggests less blacks are opposed but more are unsure about Independence. Support among whites has dropped.

A total of 33 percent of blacks now back cutting ties, in contrast to 28 percent in July.

Then, 58 percent were against the idea and now that figure stands at 45 percent.

The doubters have now swollen from 12 percent to about one in five (21 percent).

White support for going it alone now stands at just five percent, compared to 15 percent last time around.

Opposition levels remained static at 83 percent, although the number of white people who had not made their minds up rose from three to eleven percent.

Meanwhile, support for Independence being decided by an election has fallen slightly in the last two months.

That now stands at 21 percent, compared to 26 percent in July.

Backing for a referendum on the issue is at 58 percent ? it was 69 percent in March ? and the numbers of unsure voters has also doubled in this category, from ten up to 20 percent.

The margin of error in the poll, which surveyed 401 people, stands at 4.9 percent.

See tomorrow?s Royal Gazette to find out how voters think the economy is performing.