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| PM: I'll fight Scottish independence head, heart, body and soul | PM: I'll fight Scottish independence head, heart, body and soul |
| (4 months later) | |
| David Cameron has pledged to fight "head, heart, body and soul" against Scottish independence, claiming the case for preserving the UK is "unquestionable". | David Cameron has pledged to fight "head, heart, body and soul" against Scottish independence, claiming the case for preserving the UK is "unquestionable". |
| In a keynote speech to Scottish Tory activists, the prime minister said the main challenge facing the UK was cutting the deficit and "fixing welfare" rather than splitting into two separate countries. | In a keynote speech to Scottish Tory activists, the prime minister said the main challenge facing the UK was cutting the deficit and "fixing welfare" rather than splitting into two separate countries. |
| "The future I see for Scotland is part of a dynamic, enterprising, prosperous and compassionate Britain – a Britain that isn't just competing in the global race, but winning in the world," he told the party's annual conference in Stirling. | "The future I see for Scotland is part of a dynamic, enterprising, prosperous and compassionate Britain – a Britain that isn't just competing in the global race, but winning in the world," he told the party's annual conference in Stirling. |
| Warning repeatedly of further deep cuts in welfare and government spending to come, Cameron also slapped down critics within the Scottish party of Ruth Davidson's leadership and its plans – endorsed by No 10 – to increase devolution. | Warning repeatedly of further deep cuts in welfare and government spending to come, Cameron also slapped down critics within the Scottish party of Ruth Davidson's leadership and its plans – endorsed by No 10 – to increase devolution. |
| Cameron made clear he supported Davidson, elected Scottish party leader 18 months ago on a ticket of opposing any extra new powers for Holyrood, and her recent conversion to greater devolution. | Cameron made clear he supported Davidson, elected Scottish party leader 18 months ago on a ticket of opposing any extra new powers for Holyrood, and her recent conversion to greater devolution. |
| Untested before her election, Davidson is facing intensifying criticism from rank-and-file and senior Tories about her leadership and her U-turn over devolution, with some Tories speculating privately about a possible leadership challenge. | Untested before her election, Davidson is facing intensifying criticism from rank-and-file and senior Tories about her leadership and her U-turn over devolution, with some Tories speculating privately about a possible leadership challenge. |
| Critics in the party have openly challenged the party's decision not to debate devolution and independence in the main conference. | Critics in the party have openly challenged the party's decision not to debate devolution and independence in the main conference. |
| The applause for Davidson as she took the stage to introduce Cameron appeared dutiful and polite, but more intense for the prime minister. Delegates gave him a longer standing ovation when he took the podium. | The applause for Davidson as she took the stage to introduce Cameron appeared dutiful and polite, but more intense for the prime minister. Delegates gave him a longer standing ovation when he took the podium. |
| He warned that the party had to become relevant to Scottish voters as they faced "huge battles", in 2014 with the independence referendum, in 2015 with the UK general election and in 2016 fighting the next Holyrood election. | He warned that the party had to become relevant to Scottish voters as they faced "huge battles", in 2014 with the independence referendum, in 2015 with the UK general election and in 2016 fighting the next Holyrood election. |
| "We will only succeed if we are in touch and in tune with modern Scotland," Cameron said, suggesting increasing nerves at No 10 about the internal criticisms. "And in Ruth, you've got the ideal leader. Ruth wasn't born into the Conservative party – she chose it. | "We will only succeed if we are in touch and in tune with modern Scotland," Cameron said, suggesting increasing nerves at No 10 about the internal criticisms. "And in Ruth, you've got the ideal leader. Ruth wasn't born into the Conservative party – she chose it. |
| "And she understands that to win we've got to be a party for all of Scotland. A party focused on securing Scotland's place within a strong UK but not afraid to look at how devolution can be improved." | "And she understands that to win we've got to be a party for all of Scotland. A party focused on securing Scotland's place within a strong UK but not afraid to look at how devolution can be improved." |
| Cameron tied that warning to a plea for solidarity with Davidson to push the Tories' other policies and ideology to Scottish voters, insisting Tory values supported aspiration, strong families, hard work and compassion. They were Conservative and Scottish values, he said. | Cameron tied that warning to a plea for solidarity with Davidson to push the Tories' other policies and ideology to Scottish voters, insisting Tory values supported aspiration, strong families, hard work and compassion. They were Conservative and Scottish values, he said. |
| He claimed that cutting welfare spending further, by cutting the deficit and "firing up enterprise", were the only ways of ensuring Scotland remained within the UK. "Head, heart, body and soul, we will fight for our United Kingdom every step of the way," he said. | He claimed that cutting welfare spending further, by cutting the deficit and "firing up enterprise", were the only ways of ensuring Scotland remained within the UK. "Head, heart, body and soul, we will fight for our United Kingdom every step of the way," he said. |
| After Cameron had left Stirling, en route to joining the Bilderberg group conference of global business leaders, intelligence officers, political leaders and financiers near Watford, police arrested a prominent welfare rights activist, singer and independence campaigner, Alan Smart. | After Cameron had left Stirling, en route to joining the Bilderberg group conference of global business leaders, intelligence officers, political leaders and financiers near Watford, police arrested a prominent welfare rights activist, singer and independence campaigner, Alan Smart. |
| Known as Citizen Smart, he was allegedly arrested for singing an anti-English song at the conference, directed at the Tories, as he stood alongside a small group of anti-bedroom-tax campaigners. | Known as Citizen Smart, he was allegedly arrested for singing an anti-English song at the conference, directed at the Tories, as he stood alongside a small group of anti-bedroom-tax campaigners. |
| During his speech, Cameron had issued a double-edged compliment to Alastair Darling, the former Labour chancellor, whom he had obliquely attacked repeatedly when he condemned the deficit left by Labour. | During his speech, Cameron had issued a double-edged compliment to Alastair Darling, the former Labour chancellor, whom he had obliquely attacked repeatedly when he condemned the deficit left by Labour. |
| The prime minister welcomed Darling's decision – heavily criticised by pro-independence activists – to address a pro-UK conference fringe meeting as chairman of the cross-party Better Together campaign. | The prime minister welcomed Darling's decision – heavily criticised by pro-independence activists – to address a pro-UK conference fringe meeting as chairman of the cross-party Better Together campaign. |
| To laughter from delegates, Cameron said: "When one of your conference darlings is a Labour MP, you know that you're on to something." | To laughter from delegates, Cameron said: "When one of your conference darlings is a Labour MP, you know that you're on to something." |
| As the Scottish National party ridiculed the former chancellor for being "praised to the skies" by Cameron, Darling defended his decision to speak at the conference. He insisted the pro-UK parties could not afford to let party politics interfere with the historic challenge of defeating the SNP in the referendum. | As the Scottish National party ridiculed the former chancellor for being "praised to the skies" by Cameron, Darling defended his decision to speak at the conference. He insisted the pro-UK parties could not afford to let party politics interfere with the historic challenge of defeating the SNP in the referendum. |
| "I have said that this issue is far too important for our country and our future to allow party politics to get in the way. On many issues I disagree profoundly with the other political parties that support Better Together. However, all of us are united by our determination to keep Scotland in the UK," he said. | "I have said that this issue is far too important for our country and our future to allow party politics to get in the way. On many issues I disagree profoundly with the other political parties that support Better Together. However, all of us are united by our determination to keep Scotland in the UK," he said. |
| Angus Robertson, the SNP Westminster leader, said Cameron's speech was a "farrago of fabrication". The Moray MP added: "He added insult to injury by pretending that Tory policies are compassionate – people on the receiving end know that they are cruel and callous. | Angus Robertson, the SNP Westminster leader, said Cameron's speech was a "farrago of fabrication". The Moray MP added: "He added insult to injury by pretending that Tory policies are compassionate – people on the receiving end know that they are cruel and callous. |
| "There is nothing remotely compassionate about the Tories' austerity agenda and policies such as the bedroom tax." | "There is nothing remotely compassionate about the Tories' austerity agenda and policies such as the bedroom tax." |
| A recent Ipsos-Mori poll for the Times found support for the Scottish Tories up three points to 16%, the highest in nearly four years. Davidson's approval rating among Scottish Tory voters is +34, while Cameron's is +52. Among all voters, however, their ratings fall to -10 and -38 respectively. | A recent Ipsos-Mori poll for the Times found support for the Scottish Tories up three points to 16%, the highest in nearly four years. Davidson's approval rating among Scottish Tory voters is +34, while Cameron's is +52. Among all voters, however, their ratings fall to -10 and -38 respectively. |
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