The Ayes have it if SNP leader Alex Salmond gets his way. Photo / AP
The people of Scotland are to be offered a historic opportunity to devise a federal future for their country before next year's British general election, it emerged as a shock poll gave the campaign for independence a narrow lead for the first time.
Amid signs of panic and recrimination among unionist ranks about the prospects of a yes vote on September 18, the Observer has learned that a devolution announcement designed to halt the nationalist bandwagon is due to be made within days by the anti-independence camp.
The plan, in the event of a no vote, is people from all parts of Scottish society would be invited to take part in a Scottish conference that would decide on further transfers of power from London to Holyrood.
A poll by YouGov for the Sunday Times sent shockwaves through the political establishment as it showed the yes camp had 51 per cent to 49 per cent for no, excluding the don't knows.
Better Together leader Alistair Darling said: "These polls can and must now serve as a wake-up call to anyone who thought the referendum was a foregone conclusion."
Prime Minister David Cameron was at Balmoral on his annual visit, where growing support for a yes vote was likely to have been raised with the Queen.
With momentum strongly behind Alex Salmond's push for full-blown independence, the no campaign is desperately searching for ways to seize back the initiative in the last days of campaigning.
A win for the yes campaign would represent a stunning turnaround, and unleash the biggest constitutional crisis in the union's 300-year history: it was 14 points behind in polls taken less than a month ago.
However, another poll by Panelbase for Yes Scotland found no is leading 52 per cent to 48 per cent when undecided voters are excluded.
A senior Government minister close to the Better Together campaign said a pledge to set up a Scottish conference or convention, after a no vote, was imminent. The aim is to demonstrate to the Scottish people that they themselves would be able to "finish the job" of devolution if they reject independence.
The minister said the conference should be able to complete its work before the May 2015 general election, and in time for the three main Westminster parties to commit to implementing its recommendations in full in the first Queen's speech of a new parliament. Alex Salmond's SNP would be invited to take part.
The move is designed to reassure voters that by rejecting independence they will not be left with the status quo - but that more far-reaching constitutional change and devolution will definitely follow a no vote.
Before the latest poll results were revealed, Rupert Murdoch, the boss of News Corp, said they would be seen as a "black eye" for the British establishment. He said the poll would "shock Britain" and reveal that "everything [is] up for grabs".
"Scottish independence means huge black eye for whole political establishment, especially Cameron and Milliband [sic]," he tweeted.
With the yes campaign in buoyant mood, the no team aims to focus on a message that Scots can have the best of both worlds if they remain in the UK, with more powers, including over tax and their budget, but with the financial security of staying in the UK and EU.
A senior European Commission official issued a warning that an independent Scotland could have to wait five years before getting back into the EU, contradicting Salmond's claim that Scotland could negotiate its new membership terms from within the EU.
The source said: "It is accepted across the commission that Scotland will need to reapply and every member state will need to agree to them being admitted. There will be a significant wait of at least five to six years."
At the weekend, Gordon Brown, the former Prime Minister, said he wanted to lead a debate in the House of Commons on more devolution as soon as possible after the referendum if Scotland voted no.
He said it was time to recognise that it was not just Scotland that would feel the effects of devolution, but England, Wales and Northern Ireland, too.
J.K. Rowling has been the target for abuse online. Photo / AP
Brown said it had been agreed that Scotland would have more power to set its own income tax rate, and there would be more borrowing powers for the Scottish Parliament, but he expected more power to set benefit levels and transport policy to be handed to Holyrood.
Rowling bid to cool issue
JK Rowling tried to calm the heated passions of the Scottish independence referendum campaign, urging both sides to debate with "reason not ranting".
The Harry Potter author said that while she believed the United Kingdom should stay together, those who took the opposing view were simply "passionate" about an important issue and "not all haters".
Rowling's intervention came shortly before the YouGov poll put the Yes campaign in the lead for the first time. The debate over the future of Scotland has become increasingly bitter. Rowling (pictured) has been the target for abuse online after she donated 1 million ($1.96 million) to the Better Together campaign against independence.
She wrote on Twitter: "People before flags, answers not slogans, reason not ranting."
Her comment came as leading Scottish footballers declared their support for a No vote. The players, who include former Scotland internationals Ally McCoist, Alan Hansen and Denis Law, said: "We are proud that Scotland has always stood on its own two feet but we also believe that Scotland stands taller because we are part of the United Kingdom."
- Observer, Daily Telegraph UK