With the Prime Minister visiting Scotland today, Scottish National Party Deputy Leader and Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon stepped up the SNP’s challenge for David Cameron to agree to a live television debate with First Minister Alex Salmond on Scottish independence. Ms Sturgeon pointed to the “utterly contradictory” reasons for the Prime Minister refusing to debate with Mr Salmond. Wednesday’s Herald newspaper reports Mr Cameron’s spokesman rejecting participating in a debate because: “It’s for people in Scotland to lead the debate on the Union.” A YouGov poll commissioned by the SNP showed that over two-thirds of people in Scotland believe Mr Cameron should reverse his position and agree to take part in a head-to-head TV debate with Mr Salmond.
Speaking ahead of Mr Cameron’s visit today, Ms Sturgeon said: "David Cameron’s reasons for ducking a debate with the First Minister are utterly contradictory. If the case against independence is to be made by ‘people in Scotland’ – as the Prime Minister’s spokesperson claims – why on earth is the UK Government’s entire Whitehall machine focused on spearheading a ‘co-ordinated push’ for the No campaign from London? The reality is that the No campaign is Tory-led and Downing Street-led. The Prime Minister should be honest about that, and therefore reverse his position and agree to a live head-to-head TV debate with Alex Salmond – as over two-thirds of Scots want him to do".
Continuing Ms Sturgeon said: "In my view, first and foremost in such a referendum debate should be the UK Government’s brutal welfare cuts – and how David Cameron can possibly justify the Westminster system imposing iniquitous measures such as the Bedroom Tax on Scotland when over 90 per cent of Scottish MPs voted against it. David Cameron should use his visit to Scotland to speak for himself and agree to a head-to-head debate with Alex Salmond – if he does not, the conclusion we can take is that he is incapable of defending Westminster’s attacks on working families and some of our most vulnerable citizens to the people of Scotland."
