Scotland: pressure on unionists with 10 days to go
The Better Together campaign brings out the big guns to rally support for the union among Scottish voters, after the chancellor promised more powers for Scotland. But will it be enough?
David Cameron is leading the charge to try and convince Scottish voters to stick with the union, after Chancellor George Osborne promised on Sunday that if independence is rejected, Scotland will get new powers to raise taxes and more fiscal autonomy.
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Over the coming days, Labour is sending its biggest players in a last-ditch attempt to get Scots to vote No to independence on 18 September. Ed Miliband will share the stage with former Labour leader and ex-prime minister Gordon Brown for the first time since the 2010 general election campaign, while Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls will be campaigning in Aberdeen on Monday.
The last minute campaigning push follows a YouGov poll, published on Sunday, showing Yes voters were slightly ahead in the polls for the first time. The poll, published in the Sunday Times, showed the pro-independence camp had 51 per cent support compared to 49 per cent of No voters.
The two-point advantage, which excluded undecided voters, or those who don’t intend to vote, within the margin of error and suggests the result is too close to call.
But it marks a huge turnaround for Alex Salmond’s campaign, which had been trailing by 22 points just a month ago.
Another Panelbase survey put the pro-union side slightly ahead No at 52 per cent, with 48 per cent favouring independence.
Many Scots using postal ballots will have already placed their vote.
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Photo: Labour MP Jim Murphy and First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond get cooking
Everyone from London Mayor Boris Johnson, to Former Nato Secretary General Lord Robertson and Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander have come out in support of the union, appealing to voters to vote against independence and warning that there are huge risks to going it alone.
But nationalists dismissed their efforts, and Mr Osborne’s promise of more powers, as desperation from a campaign that did not take the threat of the pro-independence campaign seriously.
Mr Salmond dismissed the promise from Mr Osborne as a “bribe” from Westminster politicians. The first minister told BBC’s Sunday Politics Scotland: “Are we expected to believe, after hundreds of thousands have already voted, that there’s a radical new deal?
“This is a panicky measure made because the Yes side is winning on the ground.”
He added: “They’re trying to bribe us, but it won’t work as they have no credibility left.”