New Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy has been warned he needs a "gamechanger" before next May following signs his election failed to boost his party's fortunes north of the border.

A new poll, conducted days after Mr Murphy took the top job, showed no change in Labour support in Scotland.

By contrast, backing for the SNP rose over the last month - to twice that of Labour.

Experts said that if the results were replicated in May's general election the SNP would take 54 of Scotland's 59 Westminster seats and leave Labour with just four.

Elections expert Professor John Curtice, from Strathclyde University, said that the poll had dispelled hopes that Mr Murphy might be a "magic bullet" for Scottish Labour.

"It looks as though (he) will have to hope or pray that he can conjure up a gamechanger at some point between now and May," Mr Curtice added.

The Scottish Labour leader said: "We are one week into a new leadership team and really determined to change.

"We are rewriting the party's constitution so that decisions about Scotland are made here in Scotland. The days of the Scottish Labour leader having to ask the party in London about things are gone and gone for good.

"I want Scotland to not only be the fairest part of the UK but the fairest country in the world."

He also said that next May's general election was an opportunity for Scots to unite to get "David Cameron out of Downing Street".

"The choice Scots will face next year is between sending SNP MPs to the House of Commons to protest against the Tories, or Scottish Labour MPs who will remove the Tories. Voting SNP or Green in 2015 could accidentally keep the Tories in power," he added.

The SNP taunted Mr Murphy that he had suffered a 'reverse honeymoon' as leader.

First Minister and SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon said that the poll was an early Christmas present for her party.

But she added: "We take absolutely nothing for granted - and the hard work begins in the new year to ensure that we achieve a strong group of SNP MPs to give Scotland the strongest possible voice at Westminster.

"That way, we can use our influence to bring an end to austerity economics, make Scotland free of Trident nuclear weapons and get the powers Scotland needs to build a fairer society and more prosperous economy."

The SNP's general election campaign director Angus Robertson said: "The poll shows that Jim Murphy has had a 'reverse honeymoon' as leader of Labour in Scotland - with the SNP stretching our lead even further since he took up the post."

He added that on the poll results even Mr Murphy himself would lose his seat.

The survey put Labour on 24%, no change on a month ago, with the SNP on 48%, up two percentage points., with the Conservatives on 16 per cent, the Lib Dems on 5 per cent , UKIP on 4 per cent and the Greens on 1 per cent.

The Survation poll also found that 14 per cent of those questioned said that Mr Murphy's leadership made them more likely to vote Labour, 18 per cent said it made them less likely to do so and 57 per cent said it had made no difference.

The poll surveyed 1,001 people across Scotland.