UK Leader Rushes To Fend Off Scottish Independence [View all]
Source: Associated Press
By PAUL KELBIE and JILL LAWLESS
Sep 10, 1:21 PM EDT
GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) -- The British political establishment descended on Scotland Wednesday to plead for a united United Kingdom, after polls suggested that the once-fanciful notion of Scots voting to break from Britain has become a real possibility in next week's referendum.
The leaders of the three main London-based parties - all of them unpopular in Scotland - poured warm appeals on wavering voters. But some Scots seemed unmoved, and increasingly confident independence leader Alex Salmond accused his opponents of succumbing to panic.
In a rare display of cross-party unity, Prime Minister David Cameron, Labour leader Ed Miliband and Liberal Democrat chief Nick Clegg all pulled out of a weekly House of Commons question session to make a campaign dash to Scotland, as polls suggest the two sides are neck-and-neck ahead of the Sept. 18 referendum.
Cameron said Scottish independence would break his heart, in a personal plea aimed at preserving the 307-year-old Anglo-Scottish union - and preventing himself from going down in history as the last prime minister of Great Britain. He is likely to face pressure from his Conservative Party to step down if Scots vote to secede.
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