ALEX Salmond has insisted the referendum campaign has not yet begun and the Yes camp will make up ground to win next year's vote.

The First Minister said the Scottish Government, which has come under pressure over plans to keep the pound and other key issues, was still "clearing the ground" before the campaign proper.

In an interview with the New Statesman, published today, he said: "This is the phony war. This is not the campaign. I went into an election in 2011 20 points behind in the polls and ended up 15 in front.

"The real game hasn't even started. We are just clearing the ground."

His comments follow a series of polls this year which have shown a sizeable lead for the pro-UK side in the referendum struggle.

Mr Salmond told the political magazine the bedroom tax and David Cameron's decision to hold an in-out referendum on Britain's membership of the European Union would sway voters in favour of independence.

He admitted the SNP's policy of "independence in Europe" had begun to damage the campaign after the eurozone crisis.

However, despite questions regarding the terms of an independent Scotland's EU membership, he insisted the issue of Europe was now a "strong positive" for the Nationalists.

He said the pro-UK campaign's lead was wiped out when Scots were asked how they would vote on independence if Britain appeared likely to leave the EU.

Mr Salmond claimed the Prime Minister's policies were designed to appease Nigel Farage, leader of the anti-EU UK Independence Party, but added: "You can never out swivel-eye the swivel-eyed."

On the unpopular bedroom tax, he claimed it would have "the same galvanising effect as the poll tax".

He claimed Alistair Darling and the pro-UK Better Together campaign he leads would "run out of steam" as the referendum drew closer.

A Better Together spokesman said: "People can see through Alex Salmond's bluster. The debate on independence has been going on for generations.

"For Alex Salmond to suggest this is utterly ridiculous. The truth is the more the SNP talk about separation the more people are turning away, whether it be on pensions, currency or Europe."