Photograph by The Laird of Oldham
David Cameron urged the Scottish public to vote against independence in September’s referendum, telling them “We want you to stay” in a speech in London.
Cameron also warned of complacency in the “no” camp when he spoke at the Olympic Park in east London, attempting to invoke the spirit and British unity of the London 2012 Olympic Games, where England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland competed as a united Team GB.
Cameron said:
“This is a decision that is squarely and solely for those in Scotland to make. I passionately believe it is in their interests to stay in the UK.”
While some appreciated Cameron’s support for the “no” campaign, others worry that each time he makes a speech on the subject, the Scots are reminded that they are ruled by westminster by a Tory-led government that has nearly zero support north of the border.
The Scottish National Party (SNP) has called Cameron’s speech in London “cowardly”, and say that he should come to Scotland and debate with Alec Salmond on the issues surrounding an independent Scotland.
The Prime Minister’s speech comes at a time when the gap between the yes and no votes is contracting, with the latest ICM survey for Scotland on Sunday finding that support for independence had grown from 32% to 37% since September, while those supporting a unified United Kingdom fell from 49% to 44% over the same period.
