A MEETING in Cowdenbeath on Thursday night will kick-off a ten speech tour of Scotland by Gordon Brown, which will culminate in Fife with a Kirkcaldy rally just days before the referendum, on the 13th September.

Speaking at Beath High School with Alex Rowley MSP and Shadow Scottish Secretary Margaret Curran MP, Mr Brown will set out the positive patriotic vision for Scotland's future as part of the UK by focusing on three areas: pensions, health and welfare, and jobs.

From this week, town hall meetings addressed by Mr Brown include events in Dundee, Hamilton, Midlothian, Coatbridge, Kirkcaldy, Edinburgh, Lanarkshire and Glasgow.

Mr Brown said, “The positive patriotic vision I believe in, is of a Scotland proud of our distinctive identity, determined to maintain our autonomous institutions, ready to strengthen our own Scottish Parliament and yet co-operating as part of the UK to secure our pensions, our NHS funding, and jobs "That’s is why I oppose the nationalist vision which wants a Scottish Parliament that breaks forever all constitutional links with the UK.

“In our new interdependent, connected and integrated world, it makes best sense to share. From the £425 million extra we receive in pensions above our population share, the £900 million more that we receive for the NHS , to the one million jobs that come directly and indirectly from English companies employing people in Scotland, and Scottish companies selling to the UK, we benefit from being oart of the UK” The MP for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath will also take on the pensions case, stating that there are four big pension 'positives' for staying part of the UK.

Thursday's meeting will start at 7pm in Beath High School.