EDINBURGH, Scotland
With just three days to go until the Scottish independence vote, both campaigns remain neck and neck, British media outlets saying the result of the referendum is too close to call.
Opinion polls from the weekend showed varied results - A poll carried out by Ominum for the Observer had the “No” campaign in the lead with 53 percent, “Yes” at 47 percent, while an ICM poll for the Sunday Telegraph had “Yes” at 54, and "No" at 46.
Elsewhere, the Sunday Times' Scottish edition put “No” at 51 percent and “Yes” at 49.
The number of undecided voters has been put at 500,000 - more than 4.2 million people have registered to vote.
Tensions were apparent Sunday when thousands of protestors gathered outside the BBC in Glasgow to demonstrate against what they said was the corporation’s “bias" after First Minister Alex Salmond accused BBC Political Editor Nick Robinson of heckling him with questions during a press conference.
Supporters in the audience had clapped when Salmond sneered about the BBC’s “impartial role as a public sector broadcaster.”
Some British newspapers have also capitalized on the Queen’s comments to well-wishers during a visit near Balmoral castle in Scotland, where she is reported to have told one person “I hope everybody thinks about the future.”
The comments were immediately seized upon by the “No” campaign, but Buckingham palace insisted on the Queen’s “impartiality.”
In other developments, footballer David Beckham has weighed into the independence debate by backing the “No” campaign. The ex-England captain has signed a letter stating "What unites us is much greater than what divides us. Let's stay together."
The letter was released by the Better Together campaign.
Alex Salmond said Sunday he was looking for a “substantial majority” from the referendum.
Speaking to the BBC's Andrew Marr show, he said: “We're not aiming to win by one vote. We're aiming to achieve a substantial majority if we can.
“We tend to take the attitude that there isn't so much as a 'No' voter in Scotland, there are only deferred 'Yesses,' and that's been one of the successes of our campaign.”
He added: “In my opinion, and it is just my opinion, this is a once in a generation opportunity for Scotland.”
Salmond and British Prime Minister David Cameron will be campaigning in Scotland on Monday in the hope of winning over those undecided voters.
www.aa.com.tr/en
