The Scottish referendum campaign finally came alive last night, as Baroness Thatcher intervened to urge Scots to give a resounding "No" to the government's home rule plan, writes Frank Millar. But Conservative campaigners were left red-faced, as pro-devolutionists hailed Lady Thatcher's intervention as a powerful boost to their bid for a "Yes" vote tomorrow.
Lady Thatcher's warning that devolution could lead to the awakening of "a resentful English nationalism" effectively eclipsed Mr William Hague's arrival in Glasgow to boost the struggling "No, No" campaign. Labour and nationalist politicians mocked the Conservative leader, charging that the policies of the Thatcher government had led to the progressive electoral wipe-out of the Tory party in Scotland.
Labour's Mr Peter Mandelson said Mr Hague had been "upstaged by the haunting shadow of Lady Thatcher." He went on: "Together they will do as much for the `Yes, Yes' vote as the campaign's own supporters."
That view was reflected by the headline in the Edinburgh Evening News: "Happy to have you on board, Maggie." It was shared too by Mr Alex Salmond, the SNP leader, who described Lady Thatcher as "the headmistress. Mrs Poll Tax. The Big T . . . a living monument to why we need a Scottish parliament . . . arriving to blow the last remnants of the `No' campaign out of the water."
And there was further embarrassment for the Conservatives last night, after Lady Thatcher appeared to discount the expected "Yes" vote in advance. In a speech to US travel agents in Glasgow she made no direct reference to devolution. But at the close of her speech she said: "We tend to think of democracy as the will of the majority, expressed in elections freely held. My friends, democracy is about something more than that. A vote, a majority vote, won't make something that is fundamentally wrong right. It won't turn what is true, untrue."
Earlier, Lady Thatcher had warned in a newspaper article that nothing short of the unity of the United Kingdom was at stake in tomorrow's vote. Accusing the Labour government of treating the constitution in a "shallow and cynical manner", Lady Thatcher declared: "I do not believe that most Scots want to end the Union. But separation is the destination towards which the present devolution proposals lead. They represent a negation of our shared history and an abdication of our shared future. Scottish voters can do no greater service to their country than reject them."
Mr Hague returned to that theme at a rally last night with a patriotic call to defend the Union, casting anti-devolutionists as Scotland's "true Bravehearts".
Mr Hague turned his fire on alleged "sleaze" in the Scottish Labour Party, and said the government's plans were ill-conceived and would destroy Scotland's prosperity.
While attacking the government, Mr Hague conceded there was "no monopoly" of patriotism on either side of the referendum argument.
And the polls continued to indicate that the Scots are set to deliver an overwhelming "Yes, Yes" vote. A Mori poll for Scottish television showed support for the first question, on the principle of devolution, at 67 per cent, with just 22 per cent against and 11 per cent don't knows - with 51 per cent backing tax powers for the parliament, to 32 per cent against with 17 per cent unsure. And an Internet poll, conducted by Scotland On Line, suggested a "Yes" by 79 per cent to the first question, and by 69 per cent to 31 per cent on the second.
While the Institute of Directors warned of the risks of increased burdens on firms in the wake of constitutional change, Mr Tony Blair last night again told Scots to "reject the Tory scares" and insisted Labour would not "weigh down" business north of the border.
Mr Blair told the TUC at Brighton: "We will save rather than spend. We will cut waste and not increase it. We will promote Scottish business, not weigh it down. A Scottish parliament will work with business to create jobs."