SNP crisis summit orders huge taxpayer-funded publicity blitz after support for Yes campaign plummets in polls

• Poll showed No to independence campaign with 20 point lead over Yes
  
• Now civil servants have been told to use public finances to fund PR blitz
• Campaign will include leaflets sent to houses, and adverts on Twitter

By ALAN RODEN

Published: 06:23 EST, 28 June 2014 | Updated: 06:24 EST, 28 June 2014

Alex Salmond's top advisers have asked civil servants to raid public finances to pay for publicity for the faltering Yes to independence campaign

Alex Salmond’s top advisers have held a crisis summit on their referendum campaign as panic sweeps through the Scottish Government.

The Daily Mail can reveal that civil servants were ordered to raid the public purse and launch an unprecedented advertising blitz in a desperate bid to close the gap on the No campaign.

Mr Salmond’s most senior political aides, the Scottish Government’s top mandarins and heads of the communications department attended the emergency meeting on Thursday, which was convened in less than 24 hours.

Fearing they have been massively ‘out-gunned’ by the Westminster Government, the SNP administration now plans to send a pro-independence document to every household in Scotland at a likely cost to taxpayers of more than £700,000.

They are also set to follow the UK Government’s lead and bombard the Google internet search engine with adverts, boost their social media presence on sites such as Facebook and Twitter and engage more with businesses and organisations.

Attempts will be made to target online adverts at youngsters and women, who are among the most hostile groups to separation.

And the Mail understands that several SNP politicians have been told they must curtail their summer holidays to focus on the battle to destroy the Union.

The dramatic increase in activity comes after recent opinion polls gave the No campaign a 20-point lead over Yes, with just over 80 days to go until the referendum on September 18.

Ewan Crawford, Mr Salmond’s ‘senior special adviser’ on constitutional issues, was behind the crisis summit, while other key players included special adviser Liz Lloyd, policy executive Martin McDermott of the elections and constitution division, and head of news Fiona Wilson.

Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who is leading the government’s referendum campaign, was urgently briefed on the outcome and – in a desperate attempt to distract from the Mail’s revelations – rushed out a press release announcing a ‘major public information campaign’ at 6.30pm last night.

Scottish LibDem leader Willie Rennie said: 'This crisis summit shows the nationalist government knows its assertions and bluster isn't cutting the mustard in the face of the considered, factual case to remain in the UK.

Big weight on his shoulders: There are still a lot of questions the SNP leader Alex Salmond has to answer

'Alex Salmond's rushed PR strategy won't cover up the fundamental risks of independence that his White Paper failed to address.

'With only weeks left they are running around like headless chickens desperately grasping for the appropriate wheeze that will win then their long sought after dream. It shows how desperate they have become.'

Anas Sarwar, deputy leader of Scottish Labour, said: 'The nationalists' campaign looks to be in meltdown because the majority of Scots are seeing through their bluster and assertions and deciding we are better together.

'The SNP are running out of time to persuade Scots to break up the country and no matter how much they spend on advertising, their message of division and grievance is being rejected.'

The crisis meeting comes after Better Together board members held their own emergency talks in March, as exclusively revealed by the Scottish Daily Mail.

They dramatically reversed the campaign tactics and a more positive message was adopted as part of a major advertising drive.

At the time, the gap in the polls had narrowed significantly to just a few percentage points.

Crunch time: There fewer than three months to go before the historic referendum on September 18

But the latest poll, published earlier this month by YouGov, found that 53 per cent of adults plan to vote No, up two points since March, while support for Yes has slipped from 37 per cent to 36 per cent.

As well as a concerted effort from Labour to defeat independence, the Tory/LibDem government has produced more than 2.5million 16-page publications, which are being delivered to every household in Scotland.

The initiative cost taxpayers £720,000 and the Scottish Government will launch a similar mailshot in early August, after the Glasgow Commonwealth Games are over.

Paid-for Google adverts will specifically be targeted at young and female voters, the Mail understands, while there will be ‘promoted Tweets’ – which are essentially adverts on Twitter.

Miss Sturgeon said last night: 'We want people to be armed with the facts before they vote, which is why we are stepping up our public information campaign in the coming weeks.

'This will match the efforts of the UK Government in every way. The Tory-led Westminster Government has been using public funds to push their anti-independence message, and it is important that that is directly countered.'