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Scottish independence: UK party leaders in No vote trip to Scotland | Scottish independence: UK party leaders in No vote trip to Scotland |
(34 minutes later) | |
The leaders of the main UK parties are heading to Scotland to campaign against independence, ahead of the referendum. | The leaders of the main UK parties are heading to Scotland to campaign against independence, ahead of the referendum. |
Prime Minister David Cameron and Labour leader Ed Miliband will abandon their weekly Prime Minister's Questions clash to head north on Wednesday. | Prime Minister David Cameron and Labour leader Ed Miliband will abandon their weekly Prime Minister's Questions clash to head north on Wednesday. |
It came as the Scottish pro-Union party leaders announced their backing for more powers for Scotland. | It came as the Scottish pro-Union party leaders announced their backing for more powers for Scotland. |
First Minister Alex Salmond said the campaign to preserve the Union had fallen apart at the seams. | First Minister Alex Salmond said the campaign to preserve the Union had fallen apart at the seams. |
Liberal Democrat leader and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg will also be campaigning in Scotland, ahead of the 18 September referendum, although the three leaders will not travel or appear together. | Liberal Democrat leader and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg will also be campaigning in Scotland, ahead of the 18 September referendum, although the three leaders will not travel or appear together. |
In a joint statement they said: "There is a lot that divides us - but there's one thing on which we agree passionately: the United Kingdom is better together." | |
The intervention came after campaigners said at the weekend that the referendum result was too close to call, after polls indicated a narrowing of the lead that the Better Together campaign for the Union have over their Yes Scotland rivals. | |
In their statement, the UK leaders emphasised that keeping the UK together was now their priority, adding: "That's why all of us are agreed the right place for us to be tomorrow is in Scotland, not at Prime Minister's Questions in Westminster. | |
"We want to be listening and talking to voters about the huge choices they face. Our message to the Scottish people will be simple: 'We want you to stay.'" | |
William Hague will stand in for Mr Cameron at Prime Minister's Questions, while Harriet Harman will deputise for Mr Miliband. | |
The announcement came as the leaders of Scottish Labour, the Scottish Conservatives and Scottish Liberal Democrats stood shoulder-to-shoulder to endorse a timetable to deliver more financial and other powers for Scotland, in the event of a referendum "No" vote. | |
Johann Lamont, Ruth Davidson and Willie Rennie backed the plan of action spearheaded by former prime minister Gordon Brown, which would see work to begin on the plan on 19 September, the day after the referendum. | |
Dismissing the plan for more powers, Mr Salmond said: "This is the day that the 'No' campaign finally fell apart at the seams. | |
"It's totally inadequate, it's not enough. It's nothing approaching the powers that Scotland needs to create jobs, to save the health service and build a better society. | |
"The polls at the weekend, which caused so much panic in the breasties of the 'No' campaign, actually showed that independence was the most popular option." | |
The first minister added: "I've never seen a campaign disintegrate in the way that the 'No' campaign is disintegrating at the moment." |