THE SNP has been accused of fighting a negative campaign by portraying the referendum as a choice between independence or a Conservative government at Westminster.

Labour's Shadow Scottish Secretary Margaret Curran said the claim was "simplistic" and would not persuade Scots to vote Yes.

In a speech to Labour members in Edinburgh, she said the way to guarantee a more socially just Scotland was to elect a Labour government in the 2015 Westminster election.

She highlighted the minimum wage, record low unemployment and deep reductions in child poverty as achievements from Labour's time in power from 1997 to 2010.

She added: "It should stand as a challenge to the SNP against their negative campaign that says all we can ever expect from a UK Government are actions that damage Scotland."

The SNP has presented unpopular Coalition welfare cuts as a key reason to vote for independence. But Glasgow East MP said: "The SNP's suggestion that being Scottish is enough to guarantee social democratic ends just isn't true. Scots know that 'getting rid of the Tories' is too simplistic an answer for a decision that will last forever."

SNP MSP Linda Fabiani said: "We are setting out the positive case for what Scotland can achieve with the powers of independence to make our own decisions on the major issues affecting people in Scotland."