Scotland will remain part of the United Kingdom -- along with
England, Wales and Northern Ireland -- following a historic referendum vote.
A majority of voters rejected the
possibility of Scotland breaking away and becoming an independent nation.
UK Prime Minister David Cameron
welcomed Scotland's decision in a televised statement outside 10 Downing
Street, saying it was a clear result.
"Like millions of other
people I am delighted," he said.
A "balanced settlement"
is needed for all four nations in the union, he said, as he vowed that the
promises made in campaigning would be kept.
Scottish First Minister Alex
Salmond admitted defeat in an earlier televised statement -- and urged the rest
of Scotland to do the same.
He thanked Scotland "for 1.6
million votes for Scottish independence."
A turnout of 86% is one of the
highest in the democratic world for any such vote, he said. More than 4.2
million had registered to vote on whether Scotland should be an independent
country.
With 31 of 32 of councils
reporting, the "No" campaign had garnered enough votes to secure
their victory, and with it Scotland's continued place within the United
Kingdom.
The result means the main
political parties in Westminster -- and many people across the United Kingdom
and Scotland -- can breathe a collective sigh of relief that the threat of a
breakup of a centuries-old union is over. However, many on the "Yes"
side will be bitterly disappointed.
Darling: 'Unity over division'
Salmond hailed the political
engagement seen in Scotland during the campaign and appealed for unity going
forward.
"Today of all days, as we
bring Scotland together, let us not dwell on the distance we have fallen short.
Let us dwell on the distance we have traveled and have confidence that a
movement is abroad in Scotland that will take this nation forward, and we shall
go forward as one nation."
Labour lawmaker Alistair Darling,
who led the pro-union campaign in the Scottish referendum, hailed the result
Friday but said that the message that the people of Scotland want change must
be heard.
"The people of Scotland have
spoken," he said."We have chosen unity over division and positive
change rather than needless separation.
"Today is a momentous result
for Scotland and also for the United Kingdom as a whole -- by confirming our
place within the union we reaffirm all that we have in common and the bonds
that tie us together. Let them never be broken."
He gave a commitment that the
political changes promised by the Westminster parties -- involving the
devolution of more powers to Scotland -- would be kept.
Clegg:
Radical package of powers
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg,
whose Liberal Democrats are in a coalition government with Cameron's
Conservatives, said he was "absolutely delighted" by the result.
"In a dangerous and
uncertain world I have no doubt we are stronger, safer, and more prosperous
together than we every could be apart.
"But a vote against
independence was clearly not a vote against change and we must now deliver on
time and in full the radical package of newly devolved powers to Scotland.
"At the same time, this
referendum north of the border has led to demand for constitutional reform across
the United Kingdom as people south of the border also want more control and
freedom in their own hands rather than power being hoarded in
Westminster."
The first councils to declare all
went to the "No" campaign, as did the capital, Edinburgh, which voted
overwhelmingly to stay in the union with 123,927 for "Yes" and
194,628 "No" votes. Argyll and Bute and Aberdeenshire also voted
"No."
Glasgow delivered a solid win for
the independence camp with 194,779 votes for "Yes," and 169,347 for
"No," but the lead was not big enough to overturn the "No"
camp's overall majority.
With one result to come, the
Highland district, the "No" camp maintains an 8% (54% to 46%) lead
over the pro-independence camp.
Source: CNN
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