Brown urges Scottish no vote, claiming pensions timebomb

Gordon Brown, the former British prime minister, yesterday warned Scots of a pensions timebomb in their ageing population as he joins a fight to dissuade them from voting to leave the UK.

Brown, a Scot, is making his first speech in support of the cross-party Better Together campaign, warning Scots of a possible deficit in pension funds if they opt out of the 307-year-old union in a September 18 referendum.

Polls show the campaign against independence still in the lead but the yes campaign has rallied support, narrowing the gap significantly.