10/09/2014 Scotland Decides

referendum. Let us get more on that now with our special edition of

Scotland Decides: Referendum Today. Here is Sarah Smith.

The Prime Minister travels to Scotland with Ed Miliband and Nick

Clegg. I will be heartbroken if this family of nations was torn apart. Be

Yes Campaign dismissed a visit from Westminster leaders as a last

ditched effort. We are seeing Team Westminster jetting up to Scotland

for the day because they are panicking in the campaign.

Good evening from Glasgow where this time next week millions of Scots

will be preparing to cast their votes in the referendum. Today the

three main party leaders at Westminster campaigned north of the

border. And although they were all in very separate locations, their

messages were most definitely joined up ` calling for voters to reject

independence. The Yes campaign dismissed the trip by David Cameron,

Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband as "desperate". First Minister Alex

Salmond said it was a last`gasp, last`ditch effort. Tonight a new

poll suggests a 6 point lead for the No campaign. More of that in a

minute. But first this is what the Prime Minister had to say in

I think you have heard a lot of arguments that I would call

arguments of the head. Arguments about whether Scotland would be

better off, more prosperous, stronger, safer inside the United

Kingdom or not. I would like to ring that the Better Together has made

strong arguments of the head, but it is important we make those arguments

of the hearts and talk about what we care about and how we feel. How we

feel about this amazing country that we have built together. Sometimes

people say to me why do you fill so strongly about it? After all, coming

to Scotland, here you are a Tory leader with one member of Harlem

and, with your life be easier and wouldn't it be easier to get a

majority in Scotland separated from the United Kingdom? My answer is I

care far more about my country than I do about my party. I care hugely

about this extraordinary country, this United Kingdom that we have

altogether and that is what I want to talk about today because I would

be hard broken if this family of nations that we have put together

and that we have done such amazing things together, if this family of

nations was torn apart. Debuted in Cameron in `` David Cameron in

Edinburgh. Alex Salmond said the main concerns of the party leaders

were keeping their own jobs. He spoke to our political editor Nick

Robinson. What was interesting today is that Team Westminster, David

Cameron, Ed Miliband, jetted up to Scotland. We have the concerns about

education and the NHS, but their concerns are about their own jobs.

They have a very narrow focus. That is why we are excited about winning

the campaign. Sir Ian Wood, an oilman, he says you don't get the

jobs, the pensions, the protection of the NHS if you have not got the

money and that you are wildly overoptimistic. What if he is right

and you are wrong? As part of team Scotland we have almost 3000

Scottish businesses. Imagine I'm a no vote are making up my mind and I

think what if the First Minister is wrong and this is Ms man is right?

Where are we then? And that's why I referred to the businesses that are

part of our team. Everyone is entitled to their point of view.

Tonight a new poll has been published for the daily record

newspaper. Excluding undecided voters, 1000 people question

suggested 47% will vote yes and 53% no. The Scottish Labour leader is

with me now. Thank you for coming in. Is it good for your campaign to

have the Westminster party leaders campaigning in Scotland? People will

make a adjustment whether they value politicians or not. Think those

three men and Alex Salmond should be listening to the businessmen who are

making their presence felt. They provide significant and skilled jobs

in Scotland. They are saying we are under threat. We should ask Alex

Salmond why he wants to put these jobs at risk? Is this a price worth

paying when other people will suffer? What we have these comments

from business leaders, the headlines are talking about the three party

leaders. It allows Alex Salmond to hit team Scotland against Team

Westminster. `` team Scotland. It is interesting how Alex Salmond

dismisses anyone who disagrees with him. David Cameron and Alex Salmond

sat down together to create the Edinburgh agreement. Everyone has

been engaged in this process. We need to have some respect. Whatever

Alex Salmond argues for, he does it with great passion. We are now going

to move to the stage where we should be listening to business and the

shipyard workers who said their jobs are on the line. At this stage in

the debate we should listen to ordinary Scots. So why the influx of

Westminster leaders. John Prescott said that having David Cameron in

Scotland is a hindrance. He did use more colourful language. He says it

allows the Yes Campaign to carry on with their giant that you are in bed

with the Tories. We need something a bit more mature in this debate. I

have thought the Tories all of my life, ever since I came into dollar

ticks. I do like the way they do their business. I agree with him on

one thing and that is that Scotland should stay in the UK. We should not

raise taxes to 50% and act against energy companies. What we are

looking for from Alex Salmond is why he's project is a price worth

paying. `` he's project. He believes everyone else should step into line

with him. Those of us on the no side are passionate about staying in the

United Kingdom. We have had some questions from

viewers. Here is the first one. What happens if the powers to go through

Westminster? Why on earth would they? I think the way the question

is framed fits in with this idea that everybody in the United Kingdom

wants to stop us from having devolution. There is a ready

devolution in other parts. We know people are unsettled about this.

There's a debate right across the UK about how you get power to the right

place. We know in Wales they were sceptical, but it has now been

embraced. There is now commit going on with the regions in England

should have more powers. That is a refreshing and energising debate

about power, not about Westminster against Scotland, and that idea that

there are people in the rest of the United Kingdom whose life's work is

to do is down is outdated. We need to move forward and recognise the

rest of the United Kingdom are our friends in the same things we do.

Let's have a political argument rather than throwing up some scare

stories which, I have to say, is most is R. We were also contacted by

Scott in Edinburgh, and he says hole `` he says: What would you say to

Scott and people like him? I respect people from the no and yes side have

come to this is not from old school tribal politics back from testing

arguments. They are often asking the same question is becoming to

different conclusions. I would say my belief is that the Labour

Party's IDs of unity, strength, community and solidarity are what

have helped us, not separation. That is the choice we have. He and I will

probably agree on the things we want government to do, so whatever he

does on September 18, I know she and people like him will need to come

together. We all need to come together to talk about politics.

Let's energise people about how we create a better Scotland. I think we

could do that better as part of something bigger pickets are

security. We have the power in the Scottish Parliament to make

significant decisions. A lot of labour voters are planning to vote

yes. Most Tory voters are solidly below, along with liberal Democrats.

It could be the Labour voters who failed to deliver enough no voters.

Is not about Labour delivering. It is about engaging in the delivery. I

understand people are worried about their jobs and security, their

children's future. They are worried about how well cared for they will

be. I understand these good sense, but experts tell us ?16 less to

spend. It is a black hole on day one of independence. It means our

aspirations will remain aspirations. So I say to Scott, be confident we

can stand strong as a United Kingdom true to the values of cooperation

and solidarity, and after septet 18, get to the real business of politics

that has been missing. `` September 18. Thank you for coming in to talk

to us. Stay with BBC News for the latest on the referendum. We will

continue to answer your questions about what if Scotland says yes or

no? You can text us. As 16 and 17`year`old get ready to vote, join

thousands of young people for the big debate on Thursday at nine

o'clock in the evening. You can get the latest online, including today,

a look at what a Scottish defence Force may look like. That is on the

website. That is all for me tonight. You can join us every night at

7:30pm and again at 9:30pm in evening. Until then, goodbye from

Scotland.