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Tory leader attacks Union debate Tory leader attacks Union debate
(about 2 hours later)
Conservative leader David Cameron has said Labour and the SNP are wrong to fight the Scottish election campaign on constitutional issues. Tory leader David Cameron has accused his opponents of ignoring bread and butter issues to conduct an "arcane" debate over independence.
He said Scottish voters wanted to see bread and butter issues like housing, health, education and crime debated. Speaking in Edinburgh, he accused Labour of using "bone-chilling" language to frighten Scots.
Mr Cameron, who made the comments at a party event in Edinburgh, warned of conducting "arcane" debates over Scottish independence. Mr Cameron said Scots wanted to see bread and butter issues like housing, health, education and crime debated.
Scots, he said, did not want to bullied into staying in the Union. Labour said it was right to highlight a potential threat to the Union, while the SNP called for a "fresh" approach.
Mr Cameron said of Labour's campaign strategy: "They aren't talking about the bread and butter issues because there has been a shortage of bread and a shortage of butter and they have got so many weaknesses on those issues. Mr Cameron, who was joined by Scots Tory leader Annabel Goldie, said Labour and the SNP were wrong to fight the Scottish election campaign on constitutional issues, adding that Scottish voters did not want to be "bullied" into staying in the Union.
'Bone-chilling' He said of Labour's campaign strategy: "They aren't talking about the bread and butter issues because there has been a shortage of bread and a shortage of butter and they have got so many weaknesses on those issues.
The Tories and Labour are two sides of the same London coin Angus Robertson, SNP
"I also think they are making a mistake in some of the bone-chilling language they are using.""I also think they are making a mistake in some of the bone-chilling language they are using."
The Tory leader added: "The Scots are a proud people, they don't want to be bullied into staying in the Union, they want to be inspired that the Union works. The main theme of the Tory campaign has been dubbed "Your Voice in Parliament", featuring commitments to tackling drugs and crime, as well as providing affordable housing.
"I sometimes think watching the prime minister in the House of Commons and listening to Brown, I sometimes think they are just trying to frighten people and I think that is wrong, I think they should try and inspire people." Further pledges also aim to help the families, including the extension of free nursery provision.
However, as Jack McConnell was in London to endorse a partnership agreement with Tony Blair on policy co-operation, Labour insisted it was right to spotlight the potential threat to the Union. Mr Cameron's visit came as First Minister Jack McConnell travelled to London to endorse a partnership agreement with Tony Blair on policy co-operation.
Labour's Holyrood campaign chair, Cathy Jamieson, said Mr Cameron had only expressed "warm words and empty rhetoric" during his visits to Scotland.
Read the Scottish Politics election weblog here
She added: "The Tories need to recognise that their policy-light campaign could allow Scotland to sleep walk into an expensive separation of Scotland from the rest of the UK - a separation that would cost Scottish families over £5,000 more with the SNP."
SNP campaign manager Angus Robertson said: "Scotland needs a fresh approach, with a successful SNP government delivering our positive policies to lower class sizes, keep healthcare local, and reduce crime.
"The Tories and Labour are two sides of the same London coin. Labour are indeed running an extreme and negative scaremongering campaign against the SNP but they have taken their template from the Tories."