Prime Minister David Cameron is under growing pressure to debate independence with First Minister Alex Salmond after he agreed to take part in a discussion with a television audience.
Following his cabinet visit to Aberdeen on Monday, the Conservative leader said he would be “delighted” to discuss the issue with floating voters in a TV studio.
Mr Salmond claimed the concession was a “significant shift” in the prime minister’s position, as he has previously said the debate was a matter for Scots living in Scotland.
But a Downing Street source said the SNP leader needed to stop “obsessing” about TV debates and instead go head-to-head with Edinburgh Labour MP Alistair Darling, head of the pro-UK campaign group Better Together.
Mr Salmond, MSP for Aberdeenshire East, said: “By agreeing to go into a studio to make the case against independence to an audience of floating voters, he has abandoned his previous position that this is exclusively a matter for Scots living in Scotland.
“I am also very willing to do that and in the interests of a full, balanced and informative debate suggest that we do so face-to-face.”
The challenge was dismissed by Downing Street last night. A source said: “Alex Salmond needs to stop obsessing about TV debates and do the deal to go head-to-head with Alistair Darling.
“It’s time he realised he doesn’t get to choose who captains the other team.”