David Cameron backs bid to show love for the union as part of independence referendum “No” vote campaign.
DAVID Cameron has thrown his weight behind an MP’s bid to get 100,000 people to hold hands on Hadrian’s Wall in a show of strength for the Union.
The Prime Minister has backed ambitious plans of Tory MP Rory Stewart to form a coast-to-coast human chain along the Roman wall in a “gesture of love” to Scotland.
The Conservative MP for Penrith believes linking hands along the old border would demonstrate how much the rest of the UK cares about the Union.
Mr Stewart is finalising details of the event, which will take place in the summer months leading up to September’s crunch poll.
Speaking exclusively to The Sunday Post, Mr Cameron was asked if he would take part in the “hands across the border” event.
He said: “If I can, I’d like to. I’m a great admirer of Rory and he has bridged some pretty extraordinary things in his life.
“I will check my schedule, but it’s a great idea. He is passionate about the union and his constituency is a good one from which to make these arguments.”
Mr Stewart said: “Those are very generous words he’d be very welcome as obviously we’d like as many people as possible.
“We’re still working out how we’ll make it all work things like planning, parking and the movement of people.
“The event will stand or fall on people, families, and communities on the Border joining in.
“We’re open to politicians, musicians, celebrities taking part but it’s not a big political thing, it’s about
giving people a chance to express their belief in the Union and to say you’re English, we’re Scottish or vice- versa and we want to stay together.
“In the end, though, I want to make this driven ideally by volunteers.
“I want to emulate the way the Olympic Torch Relay harnessed the power of communities.”
The original plan was to hold the “hands across the border” event on July 19 but the Cumbrian MP is considering changing this.
He explained: “We may decide to hold a smaller event on the 19th and a larger event closer to the referendum in late August or early September.
“I think more people across the whole of Great Britain will be focussed and engaged with the issue by that time.
“Currently there are many people across England who can hardly believe it is happening and haven’t come to terms with the implications.”
The role of the rest of the UK in the referendum could have a big influence on the final result of the referendum.
The referendum on independence for Quebec in Canada saw a huge effort from the rest of the country to try to persuade people to reject separation.
Canadians from all over the country poured into the province to attend “No” rallies which ended with a narrow rejection of independence.
Earlier this year, The Sunday Post revealed pro-Union campaign Better Together will use an army of volunteers from the rest of the UK for a telemarketing campaign aimed at persuading Scots to vote no.
EXCLUSIVE By Andrew Picken
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