Scottish independence: JK Rowling urges 'reason not ranting' in fiery Twitter debate

The Harry Potter author is a strong supporter of the Better Together campaign

JK Rowling has donated £1million to the Better Together campaign (AP)

JK Rowling has defended her views on Scottish independence and taken part in a Twitter debate with critics.

The Harry Potter author has repeatedly pledged her support for the Better Together campaign ahead of the referendum on 18 September.

She donated £1 million to the cause in June and published a statement explaining why she wants Scotland to remain part of the United Kingdom.

Yesterday, Rowling’s rallying tweet reading “people before flags, answers not slogans, reason not ranting, unity not enmity #bettertogether” prompted a flood of replies from those in favour of Alex Salmond’s Yes campaign for an independent Scotland.

One user attacked her decision to donate so much money to the anti-independence campaign when the money could have been spent on helping “many sick children”.

Rowling refuted this argument, reminding the critic that to date, she has donated an eight figure sum “to combat social deprivation & MS in Scotland” and adding the hashtag #whathaveyoudoneforScotlandlately?.

“I didn’t donate £1m to ‘no’ out of self-interest, but because I care very deeply about the people who still live where I once was,” she wrote. “They are being asked to play a game before they’re told the rules. If it goes badly wrong, they will pay. I won’t. They will.”

The 49-year-old novelist received support from “passionate” fans backing her views, whom she thanked for “caring about Scotland”.

Rowling emphasised to critics that she has “Scottish, English and French blood”. “After 20 years and marriage to a Scot, my allegiances are here,” she wrote.

Her comments come shortly after the Yes campaign took the lead for the first time in a recent YouGov poll with 51 per cent against Better Together’s 49 per cent just 11 days before the vote.