Scottish independence: Cameron ‘nervous’ over vote

DAVID Cameron has admitted he is “nervous” about the referendum on Scottish independence as campaigning enters its final few weeks.

By The Newsroom Saturday, 30th August 2014, 11:16 am

David Cameron said he was 'nervous' about the referendum vote. Picture: PA

The Prime Minister’s comments come after the results of the first poll since a second televised debate showed the No campaign’s lead was cut in half, to just six points.

He told the Scottish Daily Mail: “I’m emotional and nervous because it matters so much.”

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But he hinted there were a “silent majority” of people who were afraid to speak out, citing academics in particular.

“Recently I was talking to university vice chancellors who are very much part of the silent majority. They don’t want to speak out ... because they worry about retribution from the Scottish government,” the PM told the paper.

Mr Cameron, who visited a marine engineering firm yesterday, also condemned an attack on Labour MP Jim Murphy, who was egged by a Yes supporter while on a visit to Kirkcaldy, in Fife.

Mr Murphy suspended his 100-day Scotland-wide referendum tour for Better Together, claiming that Yes Scotland is employing intimidation tactics by co-ordinating mobs of protesters to disrupt the meetings.

Mr Cameron described the incident as undemocratic.

He said: “There’s nothing wrong with a bit of heckling but throwing things isn’t necessarily part of the democratic process.”

Yesterday, a Survation poll for the Daily Mail revealed Better Together’s 13-point lead in a previous poll earlier this month had dropped to just six, with the ballot in three weeks’ time.

Of the 1,001 Scottish residents over 16 who were surveyed, 47.6 per cent said they were planning to vote No on September 18 - down from 50.3 per cent three weeks ago, while support for independence rose from 37.2 per cent to 41.6 per cent.

The number of Scots still undecided fell from 12.5 per cent to 10.8 per cent. When those who are undecided are excluded from the research, support for No is at 53 per cent, with Yes on 47 per cent.

Interpreting the results, Yes Scotland chief executive Blair Jenkins said: “The poll underlines that the result is on a knife edge and that support for Yes continues to build, while the relentless negativity of the No campaign means it continues to lose ground.”