AFTER 21 years never sharing a platform, one of the great schisms in Scottish politics ended with Alex Salmond and Jim Sillars embracing in front of the "Margomobile" - the battle bus named after Margo MacDonald.

It was a powerful reminder that on the eve of an independence vote the tactical arguments between gradualists and fundamentalists evaporate.

While the UK party leaders deserted the Palace of Westminster to travel to three different parts of Scotland, Alex Salmond and Jim Sillars were united at the vehicle resembling an ice cream van in which Mr Sillars has been touring round the country as a tribute to his late wife.

Margo would have loved it. Parked at a playpark on the site of a former barracks square, now surrounded by old council houses off the Portobello Road in Edinburgh, the crowd included SNP and Green MSPs, Scottish Socialists, the Yes Scotland leadership, and a sprinkling of celebrities from screen and sporting arena.

Above all there was an enthusiastic crowd of local punters sporting badges in every colour declaring "Yes", "Aye" and "How No?" - many bearing Margo's photo. It was clear that many present were from the local Piershill area and were the kind of voters the Yes campaign has targeted. Selfies with the First Minister and his deputy were the order of the day.

The Jim and Alex Roadshow turned into something of a mutual admiration society. Mr Sillars rejects the claim they have been at daggers drawn as "quite wrong", insisting: "We have had policy differences, not personal differences, and Margo and I remained friends with Alex.

"It's been a long road and we're now coasting to victory, and a great deal of the credit for that goes to Alex.

"He has played a blinder since the second debate and his devastating victory over Darling meant that afterwards we could feel a great surge of Yes support across Scotland. We should acknowledge what Alex has done. He has tanked George Osborne."

For his part, the First Minister said: "Jim is doing a fantastic job touring Scotland in his Margo-mobile. What the other side is offering is too little, too late and looks like a last-minute piece of desperation."

Greens co-convener Patrick Harvie, grinning as the atmosphere built in the sunshine, said: "There is such a lot of positivity. I think Scotland has already won whatever the vote next week. Obviously I hope and believe it will be a Yes vote, but in recent weeks ordinary people have become reconnected with politics and it's a sight to behold."

Scottish Socialist leader Colin Fox likened the current mood to youngsters suddenly cramming for their Scottish studies exam.

Given the range of coloured Yes badges on offer, three-year-old Isha Hussain was wearing them all on her cap as she was carried by her grandfather. Haji Amjed Hussain, 59, stood as an SNP council candidate many years ago.

"Taking our destiny in our own hands, taking the decisions to improve the wellbeing of Scotland, and getting the Government you voted for - these are the issues," he said.