David Cameron said he wanted to boost jobs and economic growth in Scotland

More than 50 Scottish business leaders have backed David Cameron's pledge to halt a rise in National Insurance, the Conservative leader has said.

The support from firms, including the maker of Tunnock's tea cakes, came as Labour's planned 1% NI rise continued to dominate the campaign.

And Mr Cameron insisted a Conservative win on 6 May would not make Scottish independence more likely.

The Tories want to increase their number of Scottish MPs from one to 11.

The party's list of Scots backers came after it said more than 80 national business leaders had supported the NI campaign, which would see the proposed increase cancelled for most workers and funded through efficiency savings.

SCOTTISH BUSINESS NAMES Colin Barrie, Managing Director, A Caulder & Co Ltd Allan Clark, Chairman, A J Clark Group Ian Lynch, Chairman, Air Sea Scotland John McGlynn, Managing Director, Airlink Group George Pollock, Managing Director, Alarmfast For the full list click here

Mr Cameron told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme: "The aim is to increase employment in Scotland, to increase economic growth in Scotland.

"We won't do that if we go on wasting money in the public sector and putting up taxes which is going to hamper the recovery."

The Tory leader went on: "You've got 50 prominent Scottish business leaders today signing a letter saying the threat to the recovery is not cutting waste, the threat to the recovery is putting a tax on jobs."

Mr Cameron, who toured construction firm Stewart Milne Group in Aberdeen on Friday, went on to say he wanted "as many Scottish Conservative MPs as we can possibly have".

"I won't make predictions, I will just do my very best to make sure the number goes up and up," he said.

Mr Cameron also denied Scotland would be disproportionately affected by his party's plans to cut public spending, adding: "I would say the need in Scotland for a growing and healthy private sector is even greater.

"It's crazy to go on as the government are, wasting money in the public sector and putting up taxes, which is going to hamper the private sector recovery."

The Conservative leader also said he would back the recommendation of the Calman Commission review of devolution to extend the powers of the Scottish Parliament.

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