SCOTTISH Secretary Michael Moore toured boardrooms north of the Border yesterday to bang the drum for the Union, as warnings were sounded that the tactic of denying the option of an extra question on enhanced devolution could drive people into the independence camp.
Mr Moore is bullish about the lack of support for independence in the business community. He visited heating control manufacturers Aggreko in Dumbarton, insurers Aviva and Allied Vehicles – which creates special purpose vehicles – in Glasgow.
He said of his visits this week: "These companies in vital sectors such as energy, financial services, manufacturing and food and drink are crucial to the future growth of the Scottish and UK economies.
"I will be taking the opportunity this week to bang the drum for the benefits of being part of the United Kingdom and how it helps these sectors.
"We should not take the strength of Scotland within the UK for granted. We are going to keep making the case and I will be listening closely to what Scotland has to say this week."
However, as he was between visits to businesses, two of the country's most successful entrepreneurs said they could be driven into the Yes camp if the referendum was reduced to a straight choice between independence and the status quo.
Jim McColl of Clyde Blowers told The Herald: "I would seriously consider the independence option because I don't believe the status quo is attractive for Scotland. We need more fiscal powers.
"I talk to a lot of people in the Scottish business community and most of them say the same thing – that they would like to remain in the UK but feel strongly that we need better control of our finances and economy to grow the private sector, which is key to driving the social progress that we all want.
"We need to do something different from the rest of the UK and the people of Scotland are best placed to say what the right policies are.
"I have a strong preference for more powers and it's getting close between independence and the status quo.
"If the people supporting the Union want to avoid independence, they now need to think through what the Union would look like after the referendum vote."
He was backed in this by the car servicing magnate Sir Tom Farmer, who has backed the SNP at the last two Holyrood polls without being a supporter of independence, but on the basis that he would like to see Holyrood given far greater financial powers.
Agreeing with Mr McColl, he said of the referendum: "If it was a case of the status quo and no fiscal autonomy, I don't think I would be very happy. If the question was, quite simply, independence or no new powers I would lean towards independence. I don't think asking simply Yes or No to independence is enough."
A spokesman for Stagecoach boss Sir Brian Souter denied that he was backing away from his support for independence say he was simply choosing "not to engage in the debate at this stage".
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