English voters are opposed to Scottish independence by more than three to one and most think they ought to have had a say in the referendum, a poll found.

Only 20% approve of a breakaway while 70% want to keep the United Kingdom together, according to the survey by Populus for the Daily Mail.

If Alex Salmond does succeed in leading his country to independence, a majority (53%) do not believe he should be allowed to keep the pound as Scotland's currency with only 26% in favour.

And while they back the granting of sweeping new powers in the event of a No vote by 48% to 26%, 61% think Scots MPs should be barred from voting in Westminster on policies which do not apply north of the border.

Such a move - consideration of which has been revived by the referendum debate - could spell seriously difficulties for a future Labour government which elects dozens of MPs in Scotland, especially if it applied to budget votes once Holyrood was granted greater authority over tax and welfare decisions.

Those polled clearly backed the view - by 51% to 29% - that the Queen should resist calls for her to intervene in the debate and they were happy that she should remain head of state of an independent Scotland, as envisaged by the SNP, by 40% to 26%.

Only people living in Scotland have the right to cast a vote next Thursday but 56% said the whole of the rest of the UK - England, Wales and Northern Ireland - should have been allowed to take part against 44% who backed the existing system.

Populus interviewed 1,043 English adults online on September 12.