Alex Salmond seems to have profited from posing the independence question early

In the first such result since the SNP came to power – and using Alex Salmond’s preferred referendum question – the Vision Critical survey found 51 per cent would vote ‘Yes’, with 39 per cent against. If such a dramatic result were repeated in the autumn of 2014, the First Minister would have an absolute mandate to negotiate an end to the Union with England. FREE NEWS UPDATES 24/7...FOLLOW THE SCOTTISH EXPRESS ON TWITTER Carried out on Thursday and Friday, the poll is the first to use the exact wording of the question proposed by the Scottish Government, which opponents claim is “loaded and biased”. The result is undoubtedly a stark warning for supporters of the Union and last night led to renewed calls for the third, Devo Max, option to be added to the ballot paper. It comes just days after Mr Salmond launched his consultation on the referendum before a worldwide audience at Edinburgh Castle.

Scotland and England would become united kingdoms – equal friends and neighbours Angus Robertson, campaign director for the SNP

Angus Robertson, campaign director for the SNP, said the poll result came as a “huge boost”. He added: “It shows that voters understand the Scottish Government policy is for an independent Scotland with the Queen as head of state. “Scotland and England would become united kingdoms – equal friends and neighbours – rather than the United Kingdom. “Support is growing for Scotland gaining the full range of job-creating powers we need to boost jobs and recovery, and becoming an equal and independent country.” Across the whole of Britain, 39 per cent of people said they want Scotland to be an independent country with 44 per cent against. The survey canvassed 2,019 adults, including 180 people in Scotland, using the question: “Do you agree that Scotland should be an independent country?”.

Despite the relatively small numbers north of the Border, the pollsters said the result was valid as they had sampled a representative cross section of society. Some experts have suggested the phrasing of the question could be worth up to 10 extra percentage points for independence. They argue that people are more inclined to agree with a statement than disagree and it also has no mention of breaking up the UK. However, the former Labour First Minister, Henry McLeish, said yesterday that Scots are “mature” enough to understand the question and not be swayed one way or the other. “Let’s trust the electorate to know what that means,” he said. “I trust the Scottish people more than I trust politicians and experts.”

Mr McLeish, who is calling for a third option of financial independence for Scotland within the Union, described the poll as a “serious warning”. He said: “After Alex Salmond’s announcement the battle is just being joined, but we should be quite clear that the launch was a very polished performance, it gave out a vision and was done with a great deal of confidence. “No one should be in any doubt that Alex Salmond is serious about winning independence and there is no scope whatsoever for complacency on the part of the Unionist parties or those who support continuing our membership of the United Kingdom.

“I think there is a much better alternative for Scotland remaining in the Union and a great number of Scots I speak to generally want to stay within the Union but do feel that it needs a makeover and brought into the 21st century.” Professor John Curtice, of Strathclyde University, said the sample size meant the poll was “interesting” but nevertheless only “a straw in the wind”. He added: “It may be an indication that asking that kind of question is relatively favourable to the SNP and it would be better to ask ‘Do you agree or disagree...?’ “Having said that, while it might be slightly beneficial to Alex Salmond if you pose that question now, after two and a half years of campaigning when everybody is well aware of what is at stake I don’t think that will be the case.”