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| Scottish independence: Thousands on the streets for weekend campaign | Scottish independence: Thousands on the streets for weekend campaign |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Thousands of supporters of both sides in the Scottish referendum debate have taken to the streets on the final weekend before the vote. | Thousands of supporters of both sides in the Scottish referendum debate have taken to the streets on the final weekend before the vote. |
| The pro-independence Yes Scotland campaign claimed Saturday would be the "biggest day of national campaigning" Scotland has ever seen. | The pro-independence Yes Scotland campaign claimed Saturday would be the "biggest day of national campaigning" Scotland has ever seen. |
| The Better Together campaign claimed there would be "a thousand events all across Scotland today". | The Better Together campaign claimed there would be "a thousand events all across Scotland today". |
| Supporters of both sides argued that the momentum was with them. | Supporters of both sides argued that the momentum was with them. |
| The campaigning followed interventions in the debate by businesses raising concerns about independence, which "Yes" campaigners claimed was "orchestrated" by the UK government. | The campaigning followed interventions in the debate by businesses raising concerns about independence, which "Yes" campaigners claimed was "orchestrated" by the UK government. |
| Scotland's Deputy First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, said: "The 'Yes' campaign has been carried along by a flourishing of self-confidence among people in Scotland. | Scotland's Deputy First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, said: "The 'Yes' campaign has been carried along by a flourishing of self-confidence among people in Scotland. |
| "That momentum is still growing and will soon become unstoppable, as people reject the Downing Street-orchestrated campaign to talk Scotland down. | "That momentum is still growing and will soon become unstoppable, as people reject the Downing Street-orchestrated campaign to talk Scotland down. |
| "Today thousands of Yes supporters from communities across Scotland will be running the biggest campaign day of action Scotland's ever seen." | "Today thousands of Yes supporters from communities across Scotland will be running the biggest campaign day of action Scotland's ever seen." |
| New poll | New poll |
| Better Together published a new poll on Saturday suggesting 53.5% opposed independence and 46.5% backed it, when undecided voters were excluded. | Better Together published a new poll on Saturday suggesting 53.5% opposed independence and 46.5% backed it, when undecided voters were excluded. |
| The telephone poll, commissioned by Better Together from pollsters Survation, reached 1,044 respondents, with an effective sample size of 927. | The telephone poll, commissioned by Better Together from pollsters Survation, reached 1,044 respondents, with an effective sample size of 927. |
| Conducted between 10 and 12 September, it used a different methodology from previous Survation polls. | Conducted between 10 and 12 September, it used a different methodology from previous Survation polls. |
| Better Together campaign director Blair McDougall said: "This poll suggests that 'No' are in the lead but that the race is far from over. | Better Together campaign director Blair McDougall said: "This poll suggests that 'No' are in the lead but that the race is far from over. |
| "No-one can afford a protest vote. Any one of us could cast the vote that makes the difference between the UK staying together or breaking apart." | "No-one can afford a protest vote. Any one of us could cast the vote that makes the difference between the UK staying together or breaking apart." |
| Labour MP Jim Murphy, for Better Together, added: "I get a sense now the momentum has switched back - huge numbers of undecided voters are coming to us, there's a thousand events all across Scotland today." | Labour MP Jim Murphy, for Better Together, added: "I get a sense now the momentum has switched back - huge numbers of undecided voters are coming to us, there's a thousand events all across Scotland today." |
| Responding to the poll, a Yes Scotland spokesperson said: "There is everything to play for, and this will spur on everybody who wants and is working hard for a 'Yes' to redouble their efforts. | Responding to the poll, a Yes Scotland spokesperson said: "There is everything to play for, and this will spur on everybody who wants and is working hard for a 'Yes' to redouble their efforts. |
| "A 'Yes' vote is our one opportunity to achieve job-creating powers, protect our NHS from the damaging impact of Westminster privatisation and cuts, and ensure that never again do we get Tory governments imposed on Scotland that we have roundly rejected." | "A 'Yes' vote is our one opportunity to achieve job-creating powers, protect our NHS from the damaging impact of Westminster privatisation and cuts, and ensure that never again do we get Tory governments imposed on Scotland that we have roundly rejected." |
| Yes Scotland said over the weekend there will be more than 35,000 volunteers at 473 registered street stalls trying to persuade people to vote for independence. | Yes Scotland said over the weekend there will be more than 35,000 volunteers at 473 registered street stalls trying to persuade people to vote for independence. |
| They said that 2.6 million "Yes" leaflets would be delivered in 48 hours. | They said that 2.6 million "Yes" leaflets would be delivered in 48 hours. |
| Meanwhile, the bosses of three retail groups have put their names to a letter in the Daily Record, in which they claimed their costs would rise in an independent Scotland and they would have to take "the difficult decision" whether or not to pass those on to consumers. | Meanwhile, the bosses of three retail groups have put their names to a letter in the Daily Record, in which they claimed their costs would rise in an independent Scotland and they would have to take "the difficult decision" whether or not to pass those on to consumers. |
| The letter, signed by the heads of Marks and Spencer, B&Q owner Kingfisher and Timpsons, read: "Within our group there is first-hand experience of trading across national borders - in France, Ireland and across the world. | The letter, signed by the heads of Marks and Spencer, B&Q owner Kingfisher and Timpsons, read: "Within our group there is first-hand experience of trading across national borders - in France, Ireland and across the world. |
| "Our experience is that it always leads to more red tape and higher costs." | "Our experience is that it always leads to more red tape and higher costs." |
| However, Mohammed Ramzan, the chairman of cash and carry business United Wholesale Grocers and a "Yes" supporter, said: "Every single company fights for market share - they can't afford to raise prices because they have to compete to retain their market share and to grow." | However, Mohammed Ramzan, the chairman of cash and carry business United Wholesale Grocers and a "Yes" supporter, said: "Every single company fights for market share - they can't afford to raise prices because they have to compete to retain their market share and to grow." |
| Elsewhere on the campaign trail: | |
| Police complaint | Police complaint |
| Mr Salmond has renewed his complaint that the Treasury broke ministerial rules when it confirmed to journalists that the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) planned to relocate its registered headquarters from Edinburgh to London in the event of a "Yes" vote. | Mr Salmond has renewed his complaint that the Treasury broke ministerial rules when it confirmed to journalists that the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) planned to relocate its registered headquarters from Edinburgh to London in the event of a "Yes" vote. |
| He has written to Sir Jeremy Heywood, the UK's most senior civil servant, asking "which minister or official authorised the release [of the information about RBS]" and "at what time the information was released". | He has written to Sir Jeremy Heywood, the UK's most senior civil servant, asking "which minister or official authorised the release [of the information about RBS]" and "at what time the information was released". |
| BBC economics editor Robert Peston said he had been told the Treasury briefed journalists about the plans to potentially move to London before the board of RBS had formally approved the decision. | BBC economics editor Robert Peston said he had been told the Treasury briefed journalists about the plans to potentially move to London before the board of RBS had formally approved the decision. |
| But he said sources had told him they did not believe it was a case of market abuse, or the illegal release of price sensitive information, because the UK and US stock markets were shut at the time of the briefing. | But he said sources had told him they did not believe it was a case of market abuse, or the illegal release of price sensitive information, because the UK and US stock markets were shut at the time of the briefing. |
| Police Scotland have confirmed they have received a complaint from RBS shareholder Peter de Vink, a supporter of independence for Scotland, alleging the UK government leaked market-sensitive information about the bank. | Police Scotland have confirmed they have received a complaint from RBS shareholder Peter de Vink, a supporter of independence for Scotland, alleging the UK government leaked market-sensitive information about the bank. |
| Mr de Vink said Downing Street "has been behaving like a dictator in a banana republic," adding that the UK government's behaviour was "a total affront to democracy". | Mr de Vink said Downing Street "has been behaving like a dictator in a banana republic," adding that the UK government's behaviour was "a total affront to democracy". |
| He said he had written to Scotland's senior prosecutor, the Lord Advocate as well as Police Scotland, the City of London Police and the Financial Conduct Authority. | He said he had written to Scotland's senior prosecutor, the Lord Advocate as well as Police Scotland, the City of London Police and the Financial Conduct Authority. |
| Great Depression | Great Depression |
| In other developments, Deutsche Bank's Mr Folkerts-Landau said it was "incomprehensible" that Scotland was even contemplating withdrawal from the UK. | In other developments, Deutsche Bank's Mr Folkerts-Landau said it was "incomprehensible" that Scotland was even contemplating withdrawal from the UK. |
| The chief economist compared a potential "Yes" vote to the mistakes which led to the Great Depression of the 1930s. | The chief economist compared a potential "Yes" vote to the mistakes which led to the Great Depression of the 1930s. |
| "A 'Yes' vote for Scottish independence on Thursday would go down in history as a political and economic mistake as large as Winston Churchill's decision in 1925 to return the pound to the Gold Standard or the failure of the Federal Reserve to provide sufficient liquidity to the US banking system, which we now know brought on the Great Depression in the US," he said. | "A 'Yes' vote for Scottish independence on Thursday would go down in history as a political and economic mistake as large as Winston Churchill's decision in 1925 to return the pound to the Gold Standard or the failure of the Federal Reserve to provide sufficient liquidity to the US banking system, which we now know brought on the Great Depression in the US," he said. |
| Deutsche Bank's global strategist Bilal Hafeez also said independence would bring a depression to Scotland and possibly the rest of the UK. | Deutsche Bank's global strategist Bilal Hafeez also said independence would bring a depression to Scotland and possibly the rest of the UK. |
| He told Radio 4's Today it was "very, very difficult" to make a case for Scotland flourishing as an independent country. | He told Radio 4's Today it was "very, very difficult" to make a case for Scotland flourishing as an independent country. |
| "Essentially the issue is that if Scotland was to break away from the Union, but retain the pound... Scotland would lose control of the pound, it would have to accept whatever monetary policy was set for the rest of the UK. It would not have control of the money supply in the country. | "Essentially the issue is that if Scotland was to break away from the Union, but retain the pound... Scotland would lose control of the pound, it would have to accept whatever monetary policy was set for the rest of the UK. It would not have control of the money supply in the country. |
| "More importantly, it wouldn't have a central bank that can issue pounds - that power would reside with the Bank of England." | "More importantly, it wouldn't have a central bank that can issue pounds - that power would reside with the Bank of England." |
| However, the Scottish government accused Mr Folkerts-Landau of failing to take into account Scotland's "strong fiscal position". | However, the Scottish government accused Mr Folkerts-Landau of failing to take into account Scotland's "strong fiscal position". |
| And a former managing director of Deutsche Bank Scotland, Ian Blackford, dismissed the warning as "scaremongering". | |
| Mr Blackford, a former SNP treasurer, said: "They're talking about really an economic tsunami that could affect Scotland if we vote for independence on the basis of the financial risk for the banks. | |
| "But you know this has been superseded because the banks themselves have said that they will move their registered offices under certain circumstances to London so they will have the protection of the lender of last resort from the Bank of England, that doesn't change. | |
| "So I would look upon this as scaremongering really of the worst order." | |
| On Thursday voters in Scotland will go to the polls to answer the Yes/No question: "Should Scotland be an independent country?" | On Thursday voters in Scotland will go to the polls to answer the Yes/No question: "Should Scotland be an independent country?" |