Scotland's SNP government yesterday appealed for a Yes vote in next month’s independence referendum on the grounds that thousands of hard-saving Scottish pensioners are worse off since the Tory-led coalition started cutting benefits.

But a leading political analyst said the Yes campaign “seems to have stalled” as the latest poll of polls showed that it still trails No by 43 per cent to 57 per cent.

SNP work and pensions spokeswoman Eilidh Whiteford published House of Commons research showing that 50,000 Scottish pensioners have lost benefits since 2010 with a cut of £90 million to savings credit.