THE leader of Better Together, former Chancellor Alistair Darling, will today seek to set out a new, more positive tack for his campaign, following criticism in recent weeks that the pitch for a vote against independence has been too negative.
His lecture at Glasgow University will be introduced by the Principal, Professor Anton Muscatelli, who was a key figure in the Calman Commission looking at new powers for Holyrood short of independence.
Mr Darling will argue that "making a positive choice for the United Kingdom is as much a matter of the heart as well as the head," a softer message than some of the recent doom and gloom predictions made by the pro-Union campaign.
He will say that the historical, cultural and social ties that bind together the people of the United Kingdom are not "just something that is a nice bonus, a warm feeling around Royal occasions and sporting triumphs – it underpins our economic union".
He will add: "Our campaign wants Scots to make a positive choice to remain part of the UK, and not merely to reject the risks and uncertainties of independence. making that positive choice is as much a matter of the heart as well as the head.
"Issues like jobs and security, economics and defence, or public services and pensions are critical to everyone's future. The arguments for staying in the United Kingdom to protect and secure these interests are compelling. Being in the UK home market creates jobs here in Scotland."
He will argue that "the complete freedom of movement that we enjoy" provides immediate opportunities for young people to have careers that span the whole of the UK and that our young people can take up jobs anywhere in the UK with no barriers or administrative difficulties.
Some 40,000 people a year move back and forth across the Border to take opportunities, with more than 830,000 Scots living and working in elsewhere in the UK – 450,000 of those born elsewhere in the UK.
"In our UK single market, free trade offers access to opportunities in a much larger market than Scotland itself. Scotland's domestic market is the UK's 60 million people. More than 10 times our population. This is a market for Scottish businesses to sell to, and attract capital from," he will say.
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