Television historian Dan Snow is calling on Mancunians to sign an open letter to Scotland voters as part of the ‘Let’s Stay Together’ campaign.
The broadcaster kicked off his nationwide tour in Albert Square this morning, with the support of Manchester City Council, and is urging local people to back the petition already signed by the likes of Sir Mick Jagger, Cilla Black and Steve Coogan .
Scotland will vote on September 18 whether to stay in the United Kingdom or to form a separate independent country.
Dan said: “I hope the people of Manchester come down today and sign this letter to Scotland which says ‘look, it’s your choice but we hope you stay and we want to let you know how very much we value our bonds of citizenship with you and to express our hope that you will vote to renew them’.
“Manchester and Lancashire is a place where everybody understands the power of co-operation and the power of what you can achieve when you work together and that’s what lies behind our success as a country.
“I really believe in the campaign because I don’t want to live in a country without Scotland. I don’t have a vote in the Scottish referendum – but I certainly have a view and I really hope that our shared country stays together.”
More than 200 well-known celebrities have already signed the letter but Dan is keen to get the backing of local people.
PEN TO PAPER: A number of celebrities have put their support in writing
The broadcaster will be stopping off in all major cities around the UK in a bid to add to the total number of signatures on the petition.
Manchester City Council Leader Sir Richard Lees said: “This is a shared interest and there are big cities in Scotland – particularly Glasgow and Edinburgh – that have as much in common with us as other big cities in the United Kingdom and I think we all need to be working together not separating off.
“I think nationalism generally speaking is a divisive ideology which separates people. We’ve worked together as one country for more than 300 years now and it works so I think we should keep doing that.
“Hopefully a lot of Mancunians will sign up to deliver that message to Scotland that we want them to stay together with us.”
The letter, published on Thursday, acknowledges the decision is ultimately up to the people of Scotland, but states ‘that the decision will have a huge effect on all of us in the rest of the United Kingdom.’
Dan said: “We’re all part of a community in the UK and us all being together has made us the country we are today and has driven our success.”
“Scotland benefits from the stability and security provided by the UK and the historic ties are something we should celebrate and value. We are stronger together.
“We got 30,000 names yesterday and we’re going to try and beat that here in Manchester today.”
To sign the open letter, visit the Let’s Stay Together website.
