Scottish devolution: Labour targets 190,000 Yes voters to win 2015 general election

Labour will target nearly 200,000 Scottish independence supporters in a bid to win the 2015 general election, and outmanouevre the burgeoning Scottish National Party.

According to excerpts from a speech by Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy, Britain's main opposition party has a chance of securing an overall majority in May's general election if it can lure 190,000 people who voted 'yes' in Scotland's independence referendum away from the SNP.

"They [the 'yes' supporters] voted yes, largely because they wanted rid of the Tories and wanted change," Murphy will say.

"Now they can decide whether to vote Labour to get rid of the Tories or to vote SNP and keep the status quo. At the general election these will be the most important voters in the UK. Once again it is a strategy that won't lead to a kaleidoscope-coalition but instead risks delivering another true-blue Tory government.

"I know that the last thing SNP voters want is a Tory government but David Cameron may end up as their accidental victor if Scots vote SNP in the UK election."

On 18 September, 55% of Scots voted against independence while 45% wanted to break the union. Over 85% of the nation turned out to vote in the referendum.

A day later, the UK government appointed a panel, led by Lord Smith, to analyse what extra powers Scotland could be given over taxation and social issues, without creating an imbalance within the union.

Cameron confirmed that the question of English votes for English laws would be addressed "in tandem with, and at the same pace as, the settlement for Scotland".

Within weeks the SNP surged in popularity and added thousands of new members.

According to an ICM poll, commissioned by the Guardian newspaper at the end of December 2014, the 43% plan to vote SNP while 26% said they would vote for Labour.

Meanwhile, in a letter to the SNP's 95,000 members, party leader and Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said Labour had consistently taken Scots for granted.

"Even if you don't normally vote SNP at Westminster, lend us your vote this time so that we can hold Westminster to account and make Scotland's voice heard. An empowered and assertive Scotland threatens the vested interests of the Westminster parties," said the letter.