article: Ed Miliband today rushed to Scotland to try to shore up his hope of becoming Prime Minister as a damning poll showed almost half of Scots are ready to back the SNP. The Labour leader used a speech in Edinburgh to claim the Tory election campaign has descended into 'desperation and panic', as some polls put Labour ahead across the UK. But Mr Miliband has been rocked by a survey showing that in Scotland, 49 per cent of people plan to vote for the SNP, with just 25 per cent backing Labour, robbing him of any possibility of an overall majority. Scroll down for video . A poll of Scotlans shows 49 per cent of people plan to vote for the SNP, with just 25 per cent backing Labour . There has been a surge in support for the SNP in the months since the independence referendum in September . In September's referendum, 55 per cent voted in favour of staying in the UK, but the SNP has seen a surge in support since then and is set to take dozens of seats from Labour in the general election on May 7. The new YouGov poll for The Times shows Labour is down four points on last month to their lowest level since the survey began in 2007. The SNP is up three points to 49 per cent, a record high. Support for the Conservatives was up two points at 18 per cent and backing for the Liberal Democrats was up one point at 4 per cent. The results have delighted First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who insisted she is taking 'absolutely nothing for granted'. 'The polls are hugely encouraging and they show that that case that the SNP is putting forward for an end to austerity and support for the NHS and public services is winning support across Scotland.' Ms Sturgeon has offered to prop up a Labour government, even if the Tories win more seats on May 7. However, the SNP leader demanded full fiscal autonomy for Scotland in return, meaning all money raised in tax north of the border would be spent there. Labour leader Ed Miliband said the SNP's plan 'will mean a £7.6 billion hole in Scotland's finances' In a joint press conference, Mr Miliband was joined by his shadow chancellor Ed Balls and Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy . The SNP has proposed 'a modest increase in public spending' to end austerity and allow Scotland's health budget to rise by £2 billion by 2020. 'Let us lift austerity and have spending increases in the next parliament that are fiscally responsible but allow us to spend more money on our vital public services like the health service,' she said. 'I am proposing an increase in spending in the health service across the UK that would see by the end of this decade an additional £2 billion being spent on the NHS in Scotland. 'That's the choice we have at this election - continued austerity being proposed by the Tories and Labour, or an alternative to austerity, which is what the SNP is proposing, and we need a strong Scottish voice in Westminster that can force that alternative to austerity.' But in a joint press conference, Mr Miliband, his shadow chancellor Ed Balls and Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy said the SNP's plan 'will mean a £7.6 billion hole in Scotland's finances'. Mr Miliband said: 'Today I challenge Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP to say how they will fill this GBP7.6 billion gap. Which services will be cut? Which taxes will be raised? And what cuts will it mean for pensioners in Scotland when they are taken out of the UK pensions system? 'The SNP claim in this campaign to be proposing no reductions in spending, but in fact they are planning dramatic reductions in spending. They must now come clean.' SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon, pictured in Sterling today, has offered to prop up a Labour government, even if the Tories win more seats on May 7 . Ms Sturgeon joined with local candidate Steven Paterson while on the campaign trail in Stirling . The latest poll results have delighted First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who insisted she is taking 'absolutely nothing for granted' Mr Miliband pledged: 'I will never sell Scotland short by signing up to the SNP's plans. And I will never sell Britain short by abandoning the pooling and sharing of resources. Because this is a pooling and sharing which benefits all parts of our country, because we look after each other and we know we can only tackle the problems our country faces across the whole of the United Kingdom.' Speaking ahead of Mr Miliband's speech, Ms Sturgeon claimed that Labour was 'wrong' in its analysis. 'This is desperation on the part of the Labour Party,' the SNP leader said during a campaign visit to Stirling. 'Instead of putting forward a positive case of their own, they are resorting to the same fears and smears that they resorted to during the referendum. 'The truth is, the only cuts on the horizon for Scotland are the ones that the Tories are proposing and Labour are backing.'
highlights: YouGov poll of Scots: 49% backing SNP, 25% Labour,  18% Conservatives .
  SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon offered to prop up Miliband in government .
  But she is demanding full fiscal autonomy as a price for her support .
  Miliband warns it would create a £7billion blackhole in Scottish finances .
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