BRITAIN:Conservative leader David Cameron set himself against "narrow English nationalism" yesterday as he travelled to Scotland to make a passionate defence of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Despite his own advocacy of "English votes on English laws" - and while still grappling for an answer to the post-devolution "West Lothian Question" - Mr Cameron told his Edinburgh audience the future of the union was looking "more fragile, more threatened, than at any time in recent history".
His warning came as the Telegraphnewspapers launched a "Call Yourself British" campaign alongside an opinion survey showing 69 per cent support for the union among English voters, but with just 48 per cent believing it will survive 25 years.
With the Scottish National Party promising independence in 10 years, Mr Cameron acknowledged: "There are those in England who want the SNP to succeed, who would like to see the union fracture." But the Tory leader said he would rather see "an imperfect union than a broken one", insisting he would not allow "grievances" over funding or constitutional arrangements "to foster a narrow English nationalism".
Mr Cameron said: "We must not allow the legitimate and affectionate doubling up of patriotic pride . . . English and British, Scottish and British, British and proud of it . . . to be pushed aside by a coarse and casual nationalism. We must confront and defeat the ugly stain of nationalism seeping through the union flag."
He continued: "This is where I stand . . . saying clearly today and for all time that Britain comes first. For I believe we are stronger together . . . more, much more than the sum of our parts. And in every part of these islands I want people to hear me when I say this.
"That if it should ever come to a choice between constitutional perfection and the preservation of our nation, I choose our United Kingdom."
Pledging to "scrub out the stain of separatism that is starting to disfigure our land", Mr Cameron spoke of the need to search "for practical and reasonable solutions" to constitutional challenges "in a spirit of unity and purpose that will see Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland move forward together into the 21st century with confidence and pride".
Mr Cameron also advised SNP First Minister Alex Salmond against thinking his separatist agenda would better succeed in the event of a Conservative government at Westminster.