Scotland: Can Party Leaders Turn The Tide?

By Faisal Islam, Political Editor, In Edinburgh

The visit of the Westminster party leaders to a rebellious Scotland could turn out to be the biggest gamble in British political history.

The United Kingdom's territorial integrity is up for grabs, and in the last eight days of a long campaign the leaders have turned upside down a central tenet of the No campaign's two-year strategy.

Yet with the poor personal ratings of Mr Cameron, Mr Clegg and Mr Miliband in Scotland, it is far from certain that the gambit will come off.

Since its inception, the No campaign in Scotland has been adamant about one thing: to allow the referendum to turn into Scotland vs England, or Scot versus Tory would be completely disastrous.

The campaign avoided TV showcases that framed the debate as a battle between nations. David Cameron was advised, told really, not to even contemplate a debate with Alex Salmond.

Ed Miliband, David Cameron and Nick Clegg

The arrival of Cameron and co. is a change in tactics

It was a conviction shared for many years by Alex Salmond. In his first months as First Minister, launching a National Conversation on independence in 2007, he acknowledged that turning the less than a third of the population backing independence into the majority required one necessary but not sufficient condition: a Conservative government.

In his dreams, the First Minister could not have imagined then or even last year, or even last month, that he would be neck and neck, facing a visiting Tory Prime Minister fighting for the preservation of the Union.

As we head to the last week of this campaign, will flags, flights and flattering words really ensure the survival of the union?

Polls seems to give Alex Salmond the upper hand now

The Saltire is flying above Downing Street and Whitehall departments and will do so until the end of the referendum campaign.

The party leaders will be stressing their commitment to an enhanced timetable for new powers for Scotland.

And above all, expect a lot more fine words about the relationship between Scotland and the rest of the UK. "Stay with us" and "let us stay together to change Britain together" are among the gentle invocations from leaders. It sounds a little like an Al Green back catalogue.

Voters go the polls on September 18

The Scottish nationalists are struggling to contain their glee. Alex Salmond offered to pay for a bus for the leaders to come to Scotland and again challenged Mr Cameron to a debate.

Leading pro-independence politicians claimed to be staggered that the No campaign were "wrapping themselves in the flag" at the last minute when their campaign had not.

The key to this gamble is establishing what has caused the surge in the Yes vote's polling over August.

Gordon Brown reveals his timetable for more powers for Scotland if voters reject independence.

Can Gordon Brown make a difference?

Clearly the TV debates have played their part, especially the second one.

Labour voters have come over to Yes, attracted to Mr Salmond's vision of a progressive centre-left Scotland, free of Conservative influence from Westminster. The Yes campaign have moved to an emotional argument based on vision, confidence and hope.

That is how ex-prime minister Gordon brown has managed to seemingly take charge of the No campaign. He incredibly bounced Downing Street into backing his Burns Night timetable for what he calls "Home Rule" for Scotland. The leaders are expected to offer a new constitutional convention.

And that is why the Westminster leaders are attempting today's love-bombing blitz. The United Kingdom has seen nothing like it before.