PM steps up the rhetoric ahead of Salmond talks
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.David Cameron will today raise the rhetoric of the debate over Scotland's future by describing the UK as "precious" and promising to fight "head, heart and soul" to keep the union intact.
In what will be seen as a major rallying call from London to defend the union, the Prime Minister will claim the issue of Scotland's potential secession has now gone beyond basic "policy, strategy or calculation" and for the first time will admit "our shared home is under threat".
In the speech in Edinburgh ahead of talks with Scotland's First Minister, Alex Salmond, Mr Cameron's focus will be on what he calls the "entirely positive" and "practical" aspects of the union. If the Treasury and the Chancellor, George Osborne, preferred Downing Street to travel to Edinburgh armed with numbers rather than emotions, they will be disappointed.
Although admitting there were arguments over oil, debt and the UK's banking system, Mr Cameron will insist that Scotland "just as much as England, Wales and Northern Ireland" is "stronger, safer, richer and fairer" inside the UK.
The speech will also be No 10's first direct response to the Scottish Government's almost unilateral declaration earlier this week that both Holyrood and Westminster had "more or less" settled on autumn 2014 as the agreed date for a referendum.
If Mr Cameron again questions the 2014 date, and repeats his preference for a "sooner rather than later" poll date next year, he opens up the prospect of Mr Salmond attacking Westminster for going back on an issue he believed had been settled.
However, before the face-to-face talks with the First Minister, Mr Cameron will point to the UK's permanent seat on the UN Security Council, clout inside Nato and Britain's "unique influence" in global politics as institutional assets that could be lost to an independent Scotland.
He will also claim that the UK's defence capabilities, running the world's fourth largest defence budget, would be lost to Scotland's five million population if they chose to leave.
Last night at a speech at the London School of Economics, Mr Salmond said the economic case for Scottish independence was "absolutely clear".
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments