The Conservatives and Labour are working "very well" together in the the fight against Scottish independence, Liam Fox has said, as he attacked the SNP for threatening to deliver a "body blow" to Nato.
Speaking at an event at the Tory party conference in Birmingham on Tuesday, the former defence secretary stopped short of calling for people outside of Scotland to be given a vote on the break-up of the UK, but said all parts of the country had to be involved in the debate.
"I think its very clear the referendum is going to be held in Scotland as that's the part that wants to secede," he said.
"But it's something all of us should be invoveld in, all of us should be involved in the campaign because it's about he future of all of us.
"The SNP are trying to wreck something that I hold very dear politically, which is the UK and the strength we have drawn from one another ."
He added: "What they are proposing is simply to expensive in terms of our national interest to be argued out only in Scotland.
Speaking to The Huffington Post UK after the event, Fox said the Conservatives were working hand-in-hand with the Labour Party to fight the SNP.
"It's co-ordinated through [former Labour chancellor] Alistair Darling and it's working very well, as the opinion polls show," he said.
Criticising the SNP's plans to carve up the British Armed Forces if Scotland achieves independence, Fox told the audience to applause: "Alex Salmond is a political opportunist not a commander-in-chief."
"The SNP are looking at our armed forces as though they were at a Pick ‘n’ Mix counter in a sweet shop," Fox said.
"Angus Robertson dips his hand in to the Army and grabs the Scottish infantry and cavalry regiments; then the RAF to pluck a couple of fighter jets and their crews; then the Navy for some ocean going war ships and some coastal vessels too.
"But like a child with his pocket money he is thinking purely of what looks most attractive for the money, and ignoring the savouries he needs to balance his diet.
Fox added: "He’s chosen an Army without any supporting arms; an Air Force without any transport aircraft or tankers; and a Navy without a fleet auxiliary."
Fox also criticised the SNP for threatening to undermine Nato by calling for the removal of the nuclear armed Trident submarines from Scottish bases.
"The idea that yo can deal a body blow of confidence to Nato and be welcomed with open arms by Nato is something that is only possible if you live in Alice in Wonderland or are in the SNP," he said.
"There is no doubt any weakening of the Nato position because of action proposed by the nationalists would not go down well with our allies.
"We have got confidence inspired in our allies by our actions over a very long period, you can not weaken the collective security and expect to be thanked for it."