THE first soundings by one of the major polling organisations since Alex Salmond's named his preferred referendum question has shown an 8% swing towards independence.

Although the Ipsos MORI showed a Yes vote rising by only one point to 39% compared to a poll in December, there was a fall of seven points among those who would vote No, down to 50%.

A rise in the undecideds from 5% to 11% points to Mr Salmond making inroads into pro-Union support. The latest poll used the new wording, "do you agree that Scotland should be an independent country."

SNP referendum campaign director Angus Robertson said: "This confirms the momentum is with the independence case."