Cameron accuses SNP of threats to business leaders over no vote

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/jul/03/cameron-accuses-snp-threats-business-leaders

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David Cameron has accused the SNP of issuing threats and warnings against business leaders in Scotland who have raised questions about the merits of independence.

On the eve of his second visit to Scotland in less than a week, in which he will say that "patriotic" Scots can fly the Saltire and still reject independence, the prime minister told MPs of a huge amount of pressure being placed on businesses.

Cameron, who will begin a two-day visit to Scotland with a speech calling on the "silent majority" to speak out against the "nationalist few", told MPs: "A huge amount of pressure is being put on businesses by the Scottish government with all sorts of threats and warnings against speaking out and saying what they believe is the truth. I come across business leader after business leader – large and small in Scotland – who wants to keep our United Kingdom together and thinks it would be crazy to have border controls, different currencies and split up our successful United Kingdom. I urge them to speak out, talk with their work forces about the strength of our United Kingdom and then vote to keep it together."

The remarks by the prime minister echo warnings by the former chancellor Alistair Darling, the head of the pro-Union Better Together campaign, who spoke out in the New Statesman against a "culture of intimidation" encouraged by the pro-independence camp. The prime minister was struck by a recent essay in the Scotsman by Gavin Hewitt in which the former chief executive of the Scotch Whisky Association warned of "intimidating calls from senior SNP members".

The prime minister will seek to strike a more upbeat note in Scotland today when he will say that – with 77 days until polling day on 18 September – the time has come to "rouse" the voice of those who support the union. He will say: "We've heard the noise of the nationalist few, but now it is time for the voices of the silent majority to be heard. The silent majority who feel happy being part of the UK; the silent majority who don't want the risks of going it alone; the silent majority who worry about what separation would mean for their children and grandchildren.

"With 77 days to go, we need the voices of the many to ring out across the land. For each one to realise that they are not alone because there are millions just like them. And this is how we rouse them to find their voice. We tell them: we've achieved so much together; we're safer together; we're better off together; we've got the best of both worlds together."

The prime minister will echo the recent remarks by Gordon Brown who has tried to reframe the argument by saying that the pro-Union camp should spell out what is best for Scotland rather than saying how the Union has been good for Great Britain. Cameron will say: "You can be proudly Scottish and want to stay in the UK. Too many people in this country have been made to feel that you can't be a proud Scot and say no thanks. You've got to choose between the Saltire and the Union flag.

"That is wrong. Loving your country means wanting the best for it – and for Scotland that is staying in the UK. So yes – you can be a patriotic Scot and vote no."

The prime minister visited Scotland last Saturday to celebrate UK Armed Forces Day in Stirling.