YouGov poll has yes ahead for the first time

Yes Scotland has moved into a shock lead in the referendum campaign for the first time.

A new YouGov opinion poll has the Yes vote on 47%, No on 46% and 7% undecided. Once the don’t knows are stripped out support for independence is on 51% and a no vote is 49%.

Worried Coalition ministers are now set to speed up the process for Holyrood being handed more powers in a bid to try to win voters back.

UK Ministers are expected to outline a plan this week which would see a deal on more powers struck by next spring.

Meanwhile, Labour leader Ed Miliband has claimed border guards would be deployed on the border with England with a Yes vote and former Prime Minister Gordon Brown has blamed the Tories for the No slump.

Better Together leader Alistair Darling has admitted the referendum will go right down to the wire.

He said: “The polls may conflict, but the message I take from them is clear: If you want Scotland to remain part of the UK family you have to vote for it on September 18. Separation is forever. These polls can and must now serve as a wake-up call to anyone who thought the referendum result was a foregone conclusion. It never was. It will go down to the wire. Now is the time to speak up and speak out.

“We relish this battle. It is not the Battle of Britain it is the battle for Scotland, for Scotland’s children and grandchildren and the generations to come. This is a battle we will win.”

A further breakdown of the poll results shows Labour voters switching to Salmond in droves with 35% now backing independence, up from 18% a month ago. Every age group now backs independence except the over 60s.

The dramatic fall in the No vote has sparked days of talks between the pro-union parties and this has resulted in a plan to try and speed up the more powers proposition.

There is currently no agreement on enhancing the Scottish parliament but plans for a convention, which will also involve non-politicians, to get underway in the days after a No vote.

A deal would be concluded by the 2015 General Election and be included in the first Queen’s Speech of the new parliament.

PM David Cameron was at Balmoral on Saturday night on his annual visit, where growing support for a Yes vote was likely to have been raised with the Queen.

Her Majesty is understood to be extremely concerned at the latest developments and has asked for daily briefings.

Rupert Murdoch, the boss of News Corp, claimed the poll result should be seen as a “black eye” for the British establishment and said “everything [is] up for grabs”.

Gordon Brown said the No camp was finding it “difficult” to win over Scots because of anger over coalition policies including the so-called Bedroom Tax and tax cuts for the wealthy.

Meanwhile, another poll, commissioned by Yes Scotland, shows support for the Union at 48%, support for a Yes vote at 44 and 8% undecided.

Yes Chief Executive Blair Jenkins said: “‘While this poll puts us marginally ahead, other polls show we have more progress to make if we are to win. We will be working flat out between now and September 18 to ensure that we achieve a Yes vote.”