Alex Salmond has said the relationship between Scotland and England would be "much stronger" if Scots vote for independence in 2014.

The First Minister, speaking at the annual Hugo Young lecture for the Scott Trust in London, described himself as "a fully signed up Anglophile".

Mr Salmond said: "England does not nor cannot have any veto in the debate on independence, but I suspect - I know actually - that the vast bulk of the people of England freely recognise Scotland's right to determine its own future.

"This week's research from the Institute for Public Policy certainly suggests that people in England are waking up to the unsustainability of current constitutional arrangements.

"They are not sustainable because they are not fair. They are not fair to Scotland, and they are not fair to England.

"Most importantly, I believe these relationships will be more positive and much stronger when our nations are clear and equal partners."

Mr Salmond said the SNP would campaign for independence not just "as an end in itself", but to enable the Scottish economy to become stronger and more sustainable.

The SNP has an overall majority at the Scottish Parliament and intends to hold a referendum on independence in autumn 2014.

Responding to the First Minister's speech, Johann Lamont, Scottish Labour leader said: "No matter how often he tries to assert and impose his views on people, Alex Salmond does not speak for Scotland on the issue of independence. He can say it as many times as he likes but it doesn't make it true.

“We need to have a mature debate about how and where power should be devolved and whether it is in Scotland’s interests to stay in the union

“I am confident that the majority of people both sides of the border agree with me that we are stronger together.”