INDEPENDENCE would see public services in Scotland subjected to greater cuts than under Margaret Thatcher’s government, Labour veteran Lord Reid claimed yesterday.

The reality of a Yes vote next month would be “spending cuts worth £6 billion in the first few years after independence,” the former cabinet minister said.

“Instead of investing in our public services as we can today with devolution, we would need to cut the number of doctors, nurses and teachers with independence.”

But former Scottish Labour Party chairman and Yes-backer Bob Thomson said he “could not disagree more.”

He said: “Instead of being on the receiving end of Tory governments Scotland didn’t vote for, a rebalancing of economic power in these islands away from the over-dominance of London — and an independent Scotland delivering a progressive policy programme — would be of benefit both north and south of the border,” he said

* A majority of voters are not convinced they are being told the whole truth by either side in the referendum campaign, according to a new study.

The ICM survey found 60 per cent believe both the Yes and No campaigns have not been entirely truthful about the consequences of independence.

But while two-thirds (67 per cent) of No voters believe both campaigns have been partial with the truth, less than half of all Yes voters (48 per cent) feel the same.