Nearly half of English voters want Scotland to stay in the union, according to a poll.

Just over half of people polled by ComRes believed that independence for Scotland would make no difference to England's fortunes, while opinion was split on whether English voters should have a say on the matter.

The SNP welcomed the poll as evidence that people in England took a "commonsense view" on the question of independence, but opposition parties claimed that the findings showed widespread support for the United Kingdom in its current form.

The ComRes survey, carried out for the BBC, found 48% of those questioned were against Scotland leaving the United Kingdom, with 36% backing the idea.

On the question of whether English voters should take part in an independence referendum, 45% supported the move while 47% were against.

A spokesman for First Minister Alex Salmond said: "We welcome this poll as it shows that the ordinary people of England are quite relaxed about Scotland becoming independent, which is a commonsense view that stands in marked contrast to that of many of their political leaders, who remain obsessed with the union.

"The people of England also agree that it should be up to the people of Scotland to decide their own future."

Scottish Labour leader Iain Gray said: "People from across the country are proud to be part of a truly United Kingdom and understand that we are stronger together and weaker apart.

"Polls have consistently shown that the majority of Scots know that Scotland is big enough, rich enough in talent, and smart enough to make the most of all the opportunities that being part of a bigger social and economic unit, such as the United Kingdom, bring us.

"That's our best chance to secure the best possible future for all Scots. This poll shows that people in England agree and I welcome that."

David McLetchie, Scottish Conservative chief whip, said: "This poll shows that support for a United Kingdom literally runs right across the whole country, despite the SNP's best efforts to stir up resentment.

"When the SNP's separation referendum comes, we will make a positive case for the union and welcome support from the rest of the UK for keeping us together."

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said: "Alex Salmond needs to be kept on a tight leash to prevent him destroying our relationship with the rest of the UK."