Summary

  • Cameron, Clegg and Miliband to visit Scotland tomorrow

  • Former prime minister Gordon Brown heads further devolution plans

  • Labour, Lib Dems and Tories back Brown timetable

  • Alex Salmond says No campaign "falling apart at the seams"

  • The latest poll says vote too close to call

  • The Scottish independence referendum takes place on 18 September

  • Voters will answer the question: 'Should Scotland be an independent country?'

  1. 'We want you to stay'published at 12:47 British Summer Time 9 September 2014

    The prime minister also told the BBC Mr Miliband and Mr Clegg would have their own ways of explaining why they thought Scotland should stay in the United Kingdom.

    "One thing I'm sure we'll all say is that it is a matter for people in Scotland to decide, but we want you to stay," Mr Cameron said.

  2. PM: 'Scotland is right place to be'published at 12:44 British Summer Time 9 September 2014

    All three main pro-union party leaders will be heading to Scotland tomorrow. David Cameron, Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg will be giving their backing to the plan to give more powers to the Scottish Parliament following a No vote in the referendum.

    Prime Minister David Cameron told the BBC News Channel: "Let's be frank, there's a lot that the political leaders disagree about - but there is one thing we all agree about passionately and that is that our United Kingdom is better off if we stay together.

    David CameronImage source, PA

    "So tomorrow the right place to be is not at Westminster at Prime Minister's Questions, it is being in Scotland, listening to people, talking to people."

  3. Robert Peston's blogpublished at 12:26 British Summer Time 9 September 2014

    It has been a key 48 hours in the referendum campaign. The BBC's economics editor Robert Peston reflects on events and asks if an independent Scotland could compete with Westminster on tax.

    Tax returnImage source, Rui Vieira
  4. Cameron on Facebookpublished at 12:11 British Summer Time 9 September 2014

    Following news that he and Ed Miliband will not appear at tomorrow's Prime Minister's Questions session from Westminster, David Cameron has taken to Facebook to express his support for the union.

    David Cameron FacebookImage source, facebook
  5. Postpublished at 12:04 British Summer Time 9 September 2014

    Nick Robinson
    Political editor

    David Cameron and Ed Miliband have agreed to cancel their weekly Question Time clash in the Commons to travel to Scotland tomorrow.

  6. Postpublished at 11:53 British Summer Time 9 September 2014

    John Beattie
    BBC Scotland

    Going to be discussing today's #indyref debate, and later on looking at folks putting in property offers "subject to yes/no vote" on air from 12.

    You can listen to the programme live online here.

  7. No parties' offer - your viewspublished at 11:48 British Summer Time 9 September 2014

    Gordon Urquart: The Calman Commission was formed in 2008, the subsequent Scotland Act Mark II received Royal Assent in 2012 and all the new powers will not be in place till 2016. Eight years! If they're offering Devo Max now, why did Cameron omit it from the ballot paper? I am struggling to understand their logic. I can only think that they are taking Scots for fools.

    Geoff, Killin: Latest poll has 23% undecided. One look at the markets should make the next step obvious. If we vote Yes, the whole of the UK faces 18 months of uncertainty that will plunge us back into recession. And by the way, who seriously believes you can separate two countries in 18 months? Uncertainty will persist for 3-5 years. It just isn't worth it.

  8. Miliband: Fly Saltire across UKpublished at 11:35 British Summer Time 9 September 2014

    Labour leader Ed Miliband has called for the Scottish flag to be flown across towns and cities in the United Kingdom in a message of the support for Scotland remaining in the union.

    Ed Miliband

    Speaking to the BBC News Channel from Liverpool, he said: "We want to send a very clear message to the people of Scotland - please stay with us because we believe we are stronger together.

    "To the people of Scotland - this is your referendum, but we want you to know that we think we are stronger with you in the United Kingdom."

  9. 'Could they patronise us any more?'published at 11:27 British Summer Time 9 September 2014

    Asked if he thought Gordon Brown's timetable would persuade undecided voters, Dr Ross said: "I really don't think so. There is a timetable being presented which involves both St Andrews Day and Burns Day. Could they patronise us any more?

    "We had the three leaders of the Scottish Parliament unionist parties there, none of whom can do anything because this needs to be delivered by Westminster. I personally am unconvinced the Conservative Party in the House of Commons will stick to this timetable."

  10. No parties' offer - your viewspublished at 11:18 British Summer Time 9 September 2014

    Brian Geddes: So we are getting new powers, but we don't know what they are. We will have to wait until at least November to find out, and then Jan 2015 for a proposal, then until after the general election before (if?) the Westminster government approves. So, we are expected to vote No on ifs, maybes and unknowns. I have heard all this before.

    Hughie MacNeil, Oban: This is not White Paper v White Paper. This is a White Paper which has been published and scrutinised over the past few months against a mythical White Paper that may be published two months AFTER the vote!

    Jill McNicol: Is this more serious? Do the UK government know the result of the postal votes so far and that is creating the panic?

  11. 'So-called new powers'published at 11:15 British Summer Time 9 September 2014

    Dr Ross added: "If the Labour Party and others had really wanted to put these new powers before the Scottish people they should have done it a very long time ago.

    "Let's remember, they all published their proposals for more powers if there should be a No vote months ago - why weren't these so-called new powers in those proposals then?"

  12. Analysis - 'Far too late'published at 11:12 British Summer Time 9 September 2014

    Dr Duncan Ross, senior lecturer in economic and social history at the University of Glasgow, and a former SNP national secretary, has just spoken to the BBC News Channel about Gordon Brown's timetable for more powers for the Scottish parliament, which has been backed by Scottish Labour, the Scottish Conservatives and the Scottish Liberal Democrats.

    Dr Duncan Ross

    He said: "Many people have voted, including myself. What it [Brown's timetable] does look like is utter panic. You have a poll coming out first thing on Sunday morning showing the Yes campaign ahead.

    "George Osborne as quickly as he possibly can gets himself on the TV news saying there will be new powers. Gordon Brown is raised from wherever he has been to talk about what these new powers might be.

    "I think it is panic - it is far too late."

  13. Queen's neutrality 'perfectly sensible'published at 11:07 British Summer Time 9 September 2014

    Asked about reports that the Queen had privately expressed concern over Scottish independence, Mr Salmond said: "I think Her Majesty the Queen, who has seen so many events in the course of her long reign, will be proud to be Queen of Scots, as indeed we have been proud to have her as monarch of this land."

    He said he had an audience with the monarch at Balmoral two weeks ago, adding it was not proper to discuss what was said in public.

    "The statement from the palace on the Queen's neutrality in this matter is a perfectly satisfactory, perfectly sensible one," Mr Salmond said.

  14. Salmond 'confident' of victorypublished at 11:01 British Summer Time 9 September 2014

    Mr Salmond said he was confident of victory but not complacent.

    He said: "We won't, incidentally be reinventing our campaign at the last minute, we'll be continuing with the positive message that so many people in Scotland find so inspiring."

  15. 'Common sense agreement'published at 10:59 British Summer Time 9 September 2014

    Still on the markets, the first minister added: "Any uncertainty in the pound can be easily settled by George Osborne saying two things. One, that the governor of the Bank of England is in charge, as Mark Carney said. And secondly that they will negotiate the sensible common sense agreement for a common currency. That would take any uncertainty out of it whatsoever."

  16. 'No contingency plans'published at 10:55 British Summer Time 9 September 2014

    Asked by journalists about "panic" in the markets yesterday, Mr Salmond countered that shares in Scottish companies including Aberdeen Asset Management and Aggreko had risen today.

    Alex Salmond screenshot

    He added: "What George Osborne has done is reinvented more powers for the Scottish Parliament that two days later we see as an empty gesture. When markets see that sort of panic, they see a Westminster government with no contingency plans."

  17. 'Independence most popular option'published at 10:53 British Summer Time 9 September 2014

    Asked whether Devo Max was the option the Scottish people actually wanted, the first minister said: "The polls at the weekend, which have caused so much panic in the breasties of the No campaign, actually showed that independence was the most popular option.

    "Of course George Osborne and David Cameron, their one red line issue in setting up this referendum was not to allow Devo Max on the ballot paper, so to actually produce something which is far short of that, which is weak and insipid and has already been discounted by the Scottish people, is a sign of the total disintegration of the No campaign."

  18. 'Minus 100 rating'published at 10:49 British Summer Time 9 September 2014

    "The leaders of the Westminster parties have a trust rating of minus 100," says Mr Salmond. "I've never seen a campaign disintegrate in the way that the No campaign is disintegrating now."

  19. 'Nothing new'published at 10:48 British Summer Time 9 September 2014

    Alex Salmond said: "After all of the hype of the last 48 hours, since they [the No campaign] realised that the ground was shifting under their feet, there is actually nothing new in this package whatsoever. This is a retreading, a repackaging, a re-timetabling of what they said in the spring.

    "People have already passed their verdict on what they said in the spring. It is totally inadequate. It is not enough. It is nothing approaching the powers that Scotland needs to create jobs, to save the health service and to build a better society."

  20. 'Fallen apart'published at 10:43 British Summer Time 9 September 2014

    Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond tells the BBC: "I think it is a very significant day in the referendum campaign . This is the day the No campaign fell apart at the seams."