Poll: ‘Salmond and Cameron should hold TV debate’

A YouGov poll has claimed two thirds of Scots want the Prime Minister to take part in a televised debate with First Minister Alex Salmond ahead of the vote on independence.

A total of 67% of those questioned said Mr Cameron should take part in a TV debate with the First Minister before the referendum on September 18 next year, while 19% said he should not and 13% said they did not know.

Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said David Cameron had a “duty” to argue his case against the First Minister.

Ms Sturgeon said: “The people of Scotland have demanded the Prime Minister accepts the challenge and faces Alex Salmond in a head-to-head debate.

“David Cameron has a duty as the most senior politician in the anti-independence movement to come forward and stop hiding from this challenge.

“It would offer an opportunity for him to tell the people of Scotland why Westminster insists on wasting billions of pounds on unwanted Trident weapons of mass destruction on the Clyde, whilst imposing unfair measures such as the bedroom tax.”

However Better Together, the cross-party campaign aiming to keep Scotland in the UK, has claimed Mr Salmond has refused to take part in a debate with their leader, former chancellor Alistair Darling.