The SNP claimed yesterday that an apparent shift in public opinion in favour of independence was a reaction to the UK Government's "bullying" tactics.

Polls on the constitutional question are notoriously fickle but the significance of the latest finding is that the same polling organisation asked exactly the same question after an eight-month period.

Last August, Scottish Opinion asked people whether they approved or disapproved of Scotland becoming an independent country. At that stage only 31% of Scots were in favour of independence, with 49% opposed.

But when the pollsters asked the same question this month, those in favour had leapt 10 points to 41%, while those against had fallen six points to 43%.

This gap of just two points followed another poll last December by System 3/TNS for the Sunday Herald which showed the gap had narrowed from 15% to 4% in the previous three months.

Reacting to yesterday's poll, which was commissioned by the Daily Mail, SNP deputy leader Nicola Sturgeon said: "The poll shows a surge in support for independence of 10 points since last summer, and is now running neck and neck with the status quo.

"It clearly demonstrates that support for equality for Scotland is on the increase, along with the SNP's poll ratings, and is being boosted by our solid record of delivery in office - including freezing the council tax, cutting business rates, abolishing prescription charges and restoring free education in Scotland.

"As the SNP administration delivers good government in the devolved areas, so we will build the case for Scotland to be governed equally well in all areas."

She claimed the poll indicated that the negative attitude being shown to the Scottish Government and Scotland by Westminster - on issues such as threatening to withhold council tax benefit and prisons spending - was getting a strong reaction in Scotland.

Ms Sturgeon argued that the Scottish public was reacting to Westminster's bullying stance, claiming: "The more the London Treasury tries to lay down the law to Scotland, the greater the support there will be for independence and equality for Scotland.

"The unionist parties are running scared of the right of the people to decide Scotland's future in a democratic referendum - and no wonder, on the basis of these figures. The other parties are deeply split on the issue, and are finding it impossible to justify refusing the people of Scotland that basic democratic right."

Rival parties dismissed the findings, arguing that the SNP still had no mandate to call for a referendum given that there was no majority for this at Holyrood.