The official campaign encouraging people to back Scottish independence in a referendum is being launched in Edinburgh.

The Scottish National Party is playing a leading role in the “Yes Scotland” campaign, which will include other parties, celebrities and businesses. There have been some concerns campaigning is starting too early with a referendum not likely until 2014.

Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO),saying it was too early to argue for a “simplistic” yes or no vote to independence.

However, voluntary groups body the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO), has called on politicians to put referendum campaigning on hold, saying it was too early to argue for a “simplistic” yes or no vote to independence.

Meanwhile, former chancellor Alistair Darling, a Scottish Labour MP, pointed to a poll he had commissioned which suggested that 33% of those surveyed agreed that Scotland should become independent with 57% opposed and 10% undecided. Mr Darling has been involved in meetings with Conservatives and Liberal Democrats to take forward the plans for a pro-union campaign.