PM To Miss PMQs In Scotland Campaign ‘Panic’

                                              

David Cameron, Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg will miss Prime Minister’s Questions to travel to Scotland to campaign for the Union.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                            
The unprecedented move follows indications in polls that Scottish voters could vote to leave the UK in the September 18 referendum.

                                                                                
Speaking after the joint trip was announced, Mr Cameron said: “I’ll do everything that I can. Let’s be frank, there’s a lot that the political leaders disagree about but there’s one thing that we all agree about passionately and that is that our United Kingdom is better off if we stay together.                                                                                
                           

“So tomorrow the right place to be isn’t Westminster at Prime Minister’s Questions, it is being in Scotland, listening to people, talking to people.                                                                                
                           

“We will all have our own ways, separately, of talking about why we are better together.

                                                                                
“But one thing I’m sure we will all say is that it’s a matter for people in Scotland to decide, but we want you to stay.”

                                                                               
                               
                                       

The announcement was made on Twitter and Facebook                        
                           

Less than an hour later the governor of the Bank of England ruled out the possibility of an independent Scotland keeping the pound saying currency union was “incompatible with sovereignty”.

The struggle over the pound has been a significant part of the campaigns with the Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond insisting the country would keep the currency.

The surprise trip follows a pledge made by the former prime minister, Gordon Brown, on Monday that if Scotland were to agree to stay in the Union Holyrood would be given significantly greater powers.

                                                                                
 His promise for a “home-rule bill” was backed by the leaders of Scotland’s Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat parties on Tuesday morning.

                                                                               
                               
                                                    Polls indicate the Better Together No campaign could be in trouble                         
They agreed work towards the transfer of the new powers from Westminster would begin the day after the referendum. Although they were unable to detail what these powers would be they agreed the Scottish parliament would get greater tax-raising powers.

                                                                                
The Better Together Campaign, headed by former Chancellor Alistair Darling, has been accused of panic measures.

                                                                                
Speaking just before the three released their statement, Mr Salmond said it was the day the “no campaign fell apart”.

                                                                                
Sky’s Deputy Political Editor Joey Jones said the extraordinary move from the three leaders made it “absolutely clear” there was panic in Westminster and the Better Together No campaign and he added that it appeared responses were being “made up on-the-hoof”.

                                      Gordon Brown has been out campaigning                                                    

                                                                                
                                   

 

 

 A spokesman for Downing Street said the joint trip had been planned on Monday during a meeting between Mr Miliband the the Prime Minister. Mr Clegg was consulted about joining he campaign later in the day.

                                                                                
He added that the Saltire would be flying above No 10 and other Whitehall buildings until after the referendum.

                                                                                
A TNS poll on Tuesday morning put the Yes and No campaigns equal on 41% – backing for the Yes campaign was up from 38% last month, while support for maintaining the union had dropped from 46%.

                                                                                
A YouGov poll commissioned by The Sunday Times suggested the Yes camp was leading the race by 51% to 49%.

                                                                                
As the vote draws closer, Better Together supporters have called on the Queen to intervene, following reports the monarch is growing increasingly concerned over the prospect of a split.

Source: sky news