A NEW poll has the rival Yes and No campaigns neck and neck ahead of next week's Scottish referendum.

Among those who said they were certain to vote on September 18, support for independence and staying in the United Kingdom was tied on 41 per cent, according to new research from TNS.

That means backing for Yes is up from 38 per cent last month while support for the union is down from 46 per cent.

There could be some 600,000 voters who have still to make up their minds, with 18 per cent saying they are certain to vote in the referendum but are still unsure how they will cast their ballot.

It comes after research by YouGov at the weekend put support for Yes ahead for the first time in the campaign, with 51 per cent backing independence and 49 per cent preferring to remain part of the UK, when undecided voters were excluded.

The Daily Echo has thrown its weight behind the Better Together campaign,, which wants to keep Scotland as part of the UK.

Residents in Hampshire do not have a vote on September 18 but we believe it is important to let the Scots know we want them to stay.

This newspaper also believes the break-up of the UK would cost taxpayers billions of pounds.

Among the 990 people polled by TNS, support for No had dropped from 45 per cent a month ago to 39 per cent while the Yes vote increased from 32 per cent to 38 per cent.

Tom Costley, head of TNS Scotland, said: ''This poll reveals a remarkable shift in voting intentions but the signs were evident in our last couple of polls which indicated a narrowing of the No lead, especially among those who told us that they were certain to vote.

''It is too close to call and both sides will now be energised to make the most of the last few days of the campaign and try and persuade the undecided voters of the merits of their respective campaigns.''

Meanwhile Labour leader Ed Miliband has urged cities and towns across the UK to fly the Saltire by in an effort to persuade voters in Scotland to ''stay with us''.

Mr Miliband, who raised the flag in Liverpool with the city's mayor Joe Anderson, said he wanted to show that being part of the UK helped to achieve ''fairness, equality and social justice''.

He said he wanted to see the Saltire flying above buildings in all parts of the UK in the days leading up the September 18 referendum.

Mr Miliband said: ''Over the next few days we want cities, towns and villages across the UK to send a message to Scotland: stay with us.

''We want to see the Saltire flying above buildings all across our country.

''In the final days of this referendum we will campaign night and day to preserve the United Kingdom and we will do that with a message from all parts of the United Kingdom - that we are better together.''