David Cameron: Yes vote would break British hearts

The Prime Minister made the emotive plea in Aberdeen. Picture: PA

In an unashamedly patriotic speech, the Prime Minister described Britishness as a “magical identity”, saying there would be people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland who would be “utterly heartbroken” if Scotland was to break away from the UK.

With polls on a knife edge, Mr Cameron made a last-gasp pitch to Scotland, urging voters “to save our United Kingdom” and reminding them Thursday’s vote could end the Union forever.

Emphasising “British values” of fairness, freedom and justice, the Prime Minister spoke with pride of Britain’s achievements, compared the United Kingdom to a family and pleaded with voters not to tear it apart.

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The referendum, he said, was about more than a vote to get rid of the Conservatives, pointing out he would not be in Downing Street forever.

“Don’t think, ‘I’m frustrated with politics right now, so I’ll walk out the door and never come back’. If you don’t like me, I won’t be here forever. If you don’t like this government, it won’t last forever,” Mr Cameron said. “But if you leave the UK, that will be forever. Yes, the different parts of the UK don’t always see eye to eye. Yes, we need change, and we will deliver it. But to get that change, to get a brighter future, we don’t need to tear our country apart.”

On his last visit to Scotland before the referendum and in front of more than 800 Conservative activists in Aberdeen, Mr Cameron argued remaining in the UK would see Scotland receive “unprecedented” powers over tax spending and welfare.

“The status quo has gone,” Mr Cameron said. “The campaign has swept it away. We have agreed a timetable for that stronger Scottish Parliament, a timetable to bring in the new powers if there is a No vote – a white paper by November, put into draft legislation by January.

“This is a timetable that is now agreed by all the main political parties and set in stone. So a No vote actually means faster, fairer, safer and better change.”

With his voice cracking, the Prime Minister spoke of his love of Great Britain. He said: “I speak for millions of people across England, Wales and Northern Ireland – and many in Scotland, too – who would be utterly heartbroken by the break-up of the United Kingdom.

“Utterly heartbroken to wake up on Friday to the end of the country we love. To know Scots would no longer join the English, Welsh and Northern Irish in our army, navy and air force.”

He said a Yes vote would mean Scots would no longer be part of UK-wide celebrations. Sporting institutions from the Olympic team to the British Lions would be affected.

“The United Kingdom would be no more – no UK pensions, no UK passports, no UK pound.”

He said the UK was “the greatest example of democracy the world has ever known”.

Mr Cameron added: “It would be the end of a country that launched the Enlightenment, that abolished slavery, that drove the industrial revolution, that defeated fascism. The end of a country that people around the world admire, the end of a country all of us call home. We built this home together. It’s only become Great Britain because of the greatness of Scotland.”

Before Mr Cameron spoke, the audience was shown a film celebrating the contribution made to Britain by great Scots like Sir Alexander Fleming, Sir Walter Scott and Adam Smith.

With Better Together facing criticism for being too negative, Mr Cameron defended the No campaign, saying it was his “duty” to voters to spell out the consequences of a Yes vote. Mr Cameron warned independence would be a “painful divorce”.

“It would mean borders may no longer be so easily crossed. It would mean over half of Scottish mortgages being provided by banks in a foreign country.

“To warn of the consequences is not to scaremonger,” Mr Cameron said. “It is like warning a friend about a decision that will affect the rest of their lives – and the lives of their children. I say all this because I don’t want the people of Scotland to be sold a dream that disappears.”

He added: “Vote No and you are voting for a bigger and broader and better future for Scotland and you are investing in the future for your children and grandchildren. Please stay.”

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