The leaders of all three major Westminster parties will be campaigning for the Better Together campaign in Scotland as the vote for Scottish independence comes down to the wire.
Prime Minister David Cameron and Labour leader Ed Miliband have agreed to abandon their weekly prime minister’s questions to fly to Scotland alongside Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg in an attempt to reverse the recent momentum towards Scottish independence.
However, the leaders will not campaign together, with Labour and Liberal Democrats fearing that campaigning alongside a Tory prime minister could be toxic to the cause. In a joint statement, the three leaders said:
“There is a lot that divides us – but there’s one thing on which we agree passionately: the United Kingdom is better together.”
Meanwhile, Cameron also made an impassioned plea in the Daily Mail for the Scots to remain part of the United Kingdom, where he said:
“Our message to the Scottish people will be simple: We want you to stay…Together, the United Kingdom embodies the values the world looks on with awe and envy.”
He continued:
“Just because our countries are great together, that does not mean we cannot be even better. That is why a No vote doesn’t mean a vote for the status quo – No doesn’t mean no change. It means significant further devolution for Scotland – major new powers over tax, spending and welfare all being passed to Scotland.”
SNP leader Alex Salmond said that he “relished” the three Westminster leaders coming to Scotland and dismissed their timetable to devolve further powers to Scotland in the event of a No vote as “panicked pledges”.
The polls currently put the two campaigns as level, with little more than a week before the referendum on 18 September.
