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Scottish independence: Salmond and PM to hit campaign trail Scottish independence: Salmond and Cameron offer rival visions
(about 2 hours later)
First Minister Alex Salmond and Prime Minister David Cameron are due to hit the Scottish campaign trail ahead of Thursday's independence vote. Alex Salmond has joined business leaders to argue for Scottish independence, as David Cameron prepares to outline "head and heart" reasons to vote "No".
Mr Salmond is to join business leaders to argue that a "Yes" vote would help to grow Scotland's economy. Mr Salmond used an event at Edinburgh Airport to hit out at the "scaremongering" of the "No" campaign.
Mr Cameron will be in Scotland to give a speech arguing there are strong "head and heart" reasons to vote "No". Mr Cameron will be in Scotland later to give a speech presenting his arguments for voting against independence.
Meanwhile, footballer David Beckham has backed the "No" campaign, urging a vote to renew the UK's "historic bond". The referendum on Scottish independence will be held on Thursday.
The ex-England captain urged voters in Scotland not to ditch a union that was the "envy of the entire world". The first minister, who described the independence referendum as "once in a lifetime opportunity for Scotland", attended an event at Edinburgh Airport, where he was joined by a group of prominent business people who support independence.
The group said they believed a "Yes" vote would allow Scotland to "design an economic and jobs policy for our needs to build a more resilient economy for the future."
Elsewhere on the campaign trail...
The pro-independence business figures included Stagecoach chairman Brian Souter, former William Hill chief executive Ralph Topping, Scottish Enterprise board member Russel Griggs, Klin Group chief executive Marie Macklin and United Wholeslaers chairman Mohammed Ramzan.
In a joint statement, they said: "Scotland has always had the wealth, the talent and the resources.
"We are among the 20 wealthiest countries in the world. But during the last few weeks we've seen something new - a flourishing of national self-confidence. This gives us the strongest of foundations for a newly independent country.
"Downing Street has been orchestrating a relentless storm of scare stories. But while the 'No' campaign talks down Scotland we are determined to focus on opportunity."
They also warned that the rise of Ukip meant there was now the "very real possibility that a 'No' vote could mean an exit from the EU".
Mr Salmond used the event to renew his attack on the prime minister, accusing Mr Cameron of scaremongering and bullying businesses into criticising independence.
He said the prime minister had been "caught red handed" encouraging supermarkets to speak out, and described the alleged leaking by the Treasury of details about RBS's future as "a very major scandal".
The first minister also criticised BBC coverage of the referendum campaign, saying there was "real public concern in terms of the nature and balance of coverage".
And he rejected claims of intimidation by the "Yes" side, insisting it had been a "peaceful and joyous campaign".
The bosses of three retail groups put their names to a letter in the Daily Record on Saturday, in which they claimed their costs would rise in an independent Scotland.
They said this result in them having to take "the difficult decision" whether or not to pass those costs on to consumers.
The letter was signed by the heads of Marks and Spencer, B&Q owner Kingfisher and Timpsons.
Meanwhile, the prime minister will talk about what he will argue are the emotional and financial benefits of staying in the Union during his second visit to Scotland in a week.
Mr Cameron will say there would be "no way back" if Scotland voted to leave the UK, with a "Yes" vote resulting in an irreversible split in the UK.
Footballer David Beckham has also backed the "No" campaign, urging a vote to renew the UK's "historic bond".
The ex-England captain called on voters in Scotland not to ditch a union that was the "envy of the entire world".
"What unites us is much greater than what divides us. Let's stay together," he said in an open letter released by the Better Together campaign."What unites us is much greater than what divides us. Let's stay together," he said in an open letter released by the Better Together campaign.
But English designer Vivienne Westwood has declared her support for Scottish independence.But English designer Vivienne Westwood has declared her support for Scottish independence.
Elsewhere on the campaign trail...
Speaking during her Red label 2015 show at London Fashion Week, Ms Westwood said she was ''very unpatriotic about England because it is being completely ruined''.Speaking during her Red label 2015 show at London Fashion Week, Ms Westwood said she was ''very unpatriotic about England because it is being completely ruined''.
It comes as the Queen on Sunday said she hoped "people will think very carefully about the future" ahead of the referendum. With three full days of campaigning left before the vote, politicians on both sides of the debate were renewing their efforts to win over undecided voters.
With three full days of campaigning left before the vote, politicians on both sides of the debate are set to renew efforts to win over undecided voters. Latest polls
Scottish Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will argue that pensioners should vote for independence to ensure their grandchildren have the opportunities she says were denied to previous generations by years of Conservative governments. Scottish Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon argued that pensioners should vote for independence to ensure their grandchildren have the opportunities she says were denied to previous generations by years of Conservative governments.
She will say Scottish pensions are legally guaranteed and protected in the event of independence, and that future generations deserved to benefit from Scotland's wealth. And Labour politicians John Reid, Johann Lamont, Margaret Curran and Anas Sarwar met workers at the BAE Systems shipyard in Glasgow to highlight what they said was the SNP's risk to Scottish jobs in industries such as shipbuilding, the civil service and financial services.
Meanwhile, Mr Cameron will talk about the emotional and financial benefits of staying in the Union during his second visit to Scotland in a week.
The prime minister will say there would be "no way back" if Scotland voted to leave the UK, with a "Yes" vote resulting in an irreversible split in the UK.
The latest polls suggest the independence vote remains too close to call.The latest polls suggest the independence vote remains too close to call.
Three polls published at the weekend have put the "No" campaign in the lead, while one has put the pro-independence "Yes" campaign ahead.Three polls published at the weekend have put the "No" campaign in the lead, while one has put the pro-independence "Yes" campaign ahead.
The latest poll of polls collating the six most recent surveys - carried out between 9 and 12 September and excluding "don't knows" - puts the "No" campaign on 51% and the "Yes" campaign on 49%.The latest poll of polls collating the six most recent surveys - carried out between 9 and 12 September and excluding "don't knows" - puts the "No" campaign on 51% and the "Yes" campaign on 49%.
'Substantial majority' The campaign events come after some of Scotland's top musical talent, including Mogwai, Franz Ferdinand, Amy Macdonald and Frightened Rabbit, took to the stage to urge people to back independence.
On Sunday, Mr Salmond said the independence referendum was "a once in a generation opportunity" and he was aiming for "a substantial majority".
Asked if he would seek another referendum if there was a "No" vote on Thursday, the SNP leader told the BBC's Andrew Marr show: "We're not aiming to win by one vote. We're aiming to achieve a substantial majority if we can."
He added: "We tend to take the attitude that there isn't so much as a 'No' voter in Scotland, there are only deferred 'Yeses', and that's been one of the successes of our campaign."
"In my opinion, and it is just my opinion, this is a once in a generation opportunity for Scotland," he added.
Better Together leader Alistair Darling said the "No" campaign would seek to target undecided voters.
"I said a year ago that this race would narrow as we got towards the wire and that is precisely what has happened," he said.
"It's not surprising. It's the biggest single decision we will ever take.
"If we vote to leave the UK on Thursday then there's no going back. It's not like an election where you can change your mind if things don't work out," the former chancellor added.
The campaign events later come after some of Scotland's top musical talent, including Mogwai, Franz Ferdinand, Amy Macdonald and Frightened Rabbit, took to the stage to urge people to back independence.
The concert at Edinburgh's Usher Hall also featured performances by Eddi Reader and Deacon Blue pair Lorraine McIntosh and Ricky Ross.The concert at Edinburgh's Usher Hall also featured performances by Eddi Reader and Deacon Blue pair Lorraine McIntosh and Ricky Ross.