A shock new poll gives Scotland’s independence campaign a narrow lead for the first time.

The YouGov poll for Britain’s Sunday Times newspaper puts the campaign for Scotland to leave the United Kingdom ahead with 51 percent against the unionists’ 49 percent.

The poll was conducted after pro-independence figurehead Alex Salmond was widely judged to have won the latest of two televised debates.

YouGov said it was the first poll to represent a real possibility for a yes win.

Unionists, including Britain’s three main political parties, say the UK is stronger together and independence would bring uncertainty.

Nationalists say Scotland would be one of the world’s richest countries if it took control of its own destiny.