SCOTTISH First Minister Alex Salmond yesterday vowed he would serve his full term in office even if the No campaign wins the independence referendum on September 18.

Answering a caller to a BBC radio show who asked if he would resign immediately in the event of a No vote, Mr Salmond said: “I will discharge my responsibility.

“I was elected as First Minister in 2011, and I would like to serve out my term.”

His pledge to continue in office until May 2016 after defeat in the referendum which is now less than three weeks away came as the latest poll suggested the lead held by No over Yes had narrowed.

The Survation poll carried out after Monday's television debate between Alex Salmond and Better Together leader Alistair Darling found support for independence rose to 41.6 per cent from 37.2 per cent three weeks ago.

The No vote remained ahead at 47.6 per cent — though it was down from 50.3 per cent in the previous survey.

When the undecideds are excluded, support for No is at 53 per cent, with Yes on 47 per cent.

Mr Salmond also pledged that childcare would be “transformed” under independence with some families saving almost £5,000 a year.

“We have already made progress — almost doubling the level of childcare Labour provided — but we need to go much further if we are to transform the lives of children and help tens of thousands of women back into work.”

Mr Salmond repeated the SNP's White Paper commitment to 1,140 hours of childcare a year for all three and four-year-olds by the end of the first Parliament in an independent Scotland, with an extension to all children from the age of one to school age by the end of the second Parliament.

“The saving to families is huge,” he said. “Childcare is expensive but with this plan, a parent saves almost £5,000 a year for a one year old and more than £2,000 for each two, three and four year old.”

But Labour MSP Jackie Baillie hit back: “Alex Salmond's attempt to bribe women in Scotland has been completely discredited.

"The impartial experts at the Scottish Parliament have proved beyond any doubt that his numbers simply don't add up.”