PM is ‘not fussed’ by the date for referendum

At a Scotland Office event in Whitehall, Mr Cameron told guests that he was “not as fussed about the date of the referendum as long as it is a clear and simple question”.

He insisted that the question is “far more important” than the date.

The Prime Minister appeared to accept Alex Salmond’s preference to delay the poll until autumn 2014.

Mr Cameron joked: “I do find myself in the odd position of being the one trying to deliver Alex Salmond’s manifesto commitment.”

Mr Cameron was at an event to mark the passing of the Scotland Bill, the biggest transfer of powers since the Act of Union just over 300 years ago.

However, he focused his comments on the forthcoming referendum and said that while many of the arguments would be “about the head” the argument of the heart “does not just go one way”.

He went on to claim that the argument of the heart in Scotland would favour remaining in the UK.

He said: “I honestly believe you can be prouder of your Scottish identity than British identity but still be in favour of staying in the UK.”

Meanwhile, Tory peer Lord Fraser of Carmyllie said in an interview yesterday that Scottish independence is inevitable.

Speaking before a public debate next month, he said that while he did not want independence to happen, it would become a recurring issue regardless of the outcome of the referendum in 2014.

The former MP for Angus is to take part in a debate in London on the same side as former Sun newspaper editor Kelvin MacKenzie and The Scotsman columnist Gerry Hassan, arguing in favour of Scotland leaving the union.

He said: “While I would like to see a continuation of the union, my resigned attitude now is that there is something of an inevitability about it.