THE prospect of Prime Minister David Cameron pre-empting Alex Salmond and calling a referendum on Scottish independence any time soon has been killed off because the Labour leadership is opposed to the idea, The Herald can reveal.

Labour chiefs insist talk of Westminster holding a poll is a “distraction” from focusing pressure on getting the First Minister to stage one sooner rather than later.

The opposition from within the Shadow Cabinet to the Westminster option is important as the Prime Minister realises Labour would take the lead anti-independence role.

To add legitimacy to any Westminster referendum bill the Conservative-led Coalition – with only one Tory MP in Scotland – would have to rely on the political support of the Labour leadership, which, at present, it clearly does not have.

Asked about the prospect, Margaret Curran, the Shadow Scottish secretary, was forthright.

She declared: “We’re playing Salmond’s game if we do this. We have to put pressure on him to explain why he is delaying and delaying. I would urge my colleagues to focus on that.

“Conversations about Westminster are a complete distraction. Salmond won the election but he can’t be allowed to play around with the timing of the referendum. There is substantial evidence that industry is getting worried about the delay.”

Last week, Citigroup, the leading finance body, warned energy companies against investing in Scotland because of the uncertainty.

Ms Curran, who represents Glasgow East, added: “It should be one question and we should have it as soon as possible.”

One Labour frontbencher close to Ed Miliband said that, while the party had not ruled out supporting the Westminster option in the future, the focus had to be on getting Mr Salmond to hold a vote in the next 18 months.

Another Shadow Cabinet member told The Herald the only way Westminster could hold the referendum was if the desire for it was expressed by Scots.

“This has to come from the people of Scotland,” he insisted, “but I don’t think it’s there yet.”

Gordon Banks, the Labour MP for Ochil and South Perthshire, was also adamant that talk of Westminster holding a poll was a sideshow.

He said: “The whole issue is about Alex Salmond. He and the SNP are playing party politics with Scotland’s future.”

The opposition by the Labour leadership to the option will come as a blow to several Labour MPs and peers as well as some Conservative figures, believed to include David Mundell, the Scotland Office Minister, who support the idea.

In July, Mr Cameron warned Mr Salmond that Westminster might have no choice but to hold a referendum, saying: “If the whole of the next few years becomes about tussling rather than governing, then there may be a moment where we have to say, OK, we need to answer this question properly.”

Last month, The Herald was told the UK Government had not ruled out the option. A source close to the Prime Minister said: “Nothing has been ruled out but Labour has to be fully on board.”

Some Labour figures point to how Mr Salmond, who derided his opponents at Holyrood for blocking a home rule vote, now has the power to hold a referendum but will not do so.

The SNP points to how the First Minister, in the Scottish election campaign, pledged to hold a poll but well into the second half of the Holyrood parliament.