Scottish independence: Cameron accuses Salmond of ‘dithering’ over referendum

DAVID Cameron today mocked Alex Salmond for wanting to wait until October 2014 for his independence referendum saying: “I thought we were watching the movie Braveheart, but it turns out it is the Chicken Run”.

The Prime Minister said Mr Salmond was acting as a “road-block” in the way of the referendum as he claimed that now was the time for a Conservative revival in north of the border saying that there was a home in his party for those who loved Scotland and Britain.

Addressing around 400 people at the Scottish Tory Conference in Troon, the Prime Minister acknowledged that it was “not always easy” being a Conservative but said it was now time for the party to come back stronger.

“We aren’t where we want to be in Scotland, nowhere near it,” the Prime Minister admitted.

“There are those who think this is just a fact of life – that small Conservative presence north of the border is inevitable. I am resolutely not one of them.

“I’m here today to argue that this is our moment, if we are bold enough, to come back stronger.”

Mr Cameron argued that the Conservatives with a “distinctly Scottish party” north of the border should reclaim patriotism from the SNP.

“They’ve spread the idea that if you truly love your country, you have no choice but to go it alone. That believing in the Union is somehow treasonous,” Mr Cameron said.

The Prime Minister took issue with statements from the SNP MSP Joan McAlpine, who has argued that pro-Union party leaders are “anti-Scottish” and likened the Union to “an abusive relationship”.

“What planet are these people on?” the Prime Minister asked. “Was it an abusive relationship that stood alone against Nazi Germany? Or that abolished slavery? Or turned these islands into one of the world’s greatest economic and political success stories. It’s not an abusive relationship, it’s a Union.”

Mr Cameron also used his speech at Troon’s Concert Hall to defend this week’s budget, which saw the Coalition Government cut the highest rate of income tax from 50 pence to 45 pence.

“Let’s tell the truth about the 50 p top rate of tax,” the Prime Minister said. “For thirteen years the Labour Government didn’t bring in 50 p tax. When did they introduce it? One month before the election they knew they were going to lose. This wasn’t about raising money. It wasn’t about fairness. It was about making a political point plain and simple. I say let’s have tax rates that actually raise money and let’s have tax cuts that reward hard work that get our economy moving forward.”