Scotland votes no to independence

[webfact]

Scottish referendum: Scotland votes no to independence

(BBC) Scotland has voted to stay in the United Kingdom after voters decisively rejected independence.

With 30 out of the country's 32 council areas having declared after Thursday's vote, the "No" side has an unassailable lead of 1,877,252 votes to 1,512,688.

The winning total needed was 1,852,828. Nationally, the margin of victory is about 55% to 45%.

The vote is the culmination of a two-year campaign. Talks will now begin on devolving more powers to Scotland.

This margin of victory is some three points greater than that anticipated by the final opinion polls.

Full story: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-29270441


-- BBC 2014-09-19

[Matej]

Madness is over. This is win of common sense.
Deception based on irrational and blind nationalism has lost.
I hope forever.

[Mosha]

Being ahead of GMT has it's uses. No way would I have stayed up to watch in Yorkshire.

[chooka]

Now we need Australia to have a referendum and cut the cord from mother England.

[baboon]

Madness is over. This is win of common sense.

Deception based on irrational and blind nationalism has lost.

I hope forever.

Amen to that.

[Franky Bear]

Sensible result in the end.


Salmonds aim was to be the "Founding Father of Scotland" by any means. Look at the destruction he has left behind.

he was right about one thing....Scotland does get to keep the pound

[Keesters]

Madness is over. This is win of common sense.

Deception based on irrational and blind nationalism has lost.

I hope forever.

Or will they try for 3rd time lucky?

Not for another 35 years I hope. Probably be dead by then so won't have to go through all the nonsense again.

[dabhand]

Madness is over. This is win of common sense.

Deception based on irrational and blind nationalism has lost.

I hope forever.

Salmond's concession speech clearly showed that he is looking for another go. Really think that would be a bad move. However, Salmond is the kind of guy who doesn't know when he is beaten even though he had previously stated that this was it 'for a generation'. Don't think another divisive campaign suits any other than those who care not what mayhem they will cause.

Just hope that Westminster holds to their promises, despite the noises coming from others within the Tory heartlands.

Edited September 19, 2014 by dabhand

[baboon]

Madness is over. This is win of common sense.

Deception based on irrational and blind nationalism has lost.

I hope forever.

Salmond's concession speech clearly showed that he is looking for another go. Really think that would be a bad move. However, Salmond is the kind of guy who doesn't know when he is beaten even though he had previously stated that this was it 'for a generation'. Don't think another divisive campaign suits any other than those who care not what mayhem they will cause.

Just hope that Westminster holds to their promises, despite the noises coming from others within the Tory heartlands.

Salmond should do the decent thing now and bugger off.

[Basil B]

Devolution for England...

We want are own assembly...

As for Scotland a good result but with 45% Scott's no very happy bunnies this morning, is not a good thing, but not only more devolution I suspect the will be announcements this morning and in the weeks to come of many companies who will now invest more in Scotland.

Edited September 19, 2014 by Basil B

[tonytigerbkk]

Common sense prevails.

[tonytigerbkk]

Now we need Australia to have a referendum and cut the cord from mother England.

Because?

[Mosha]

Devolution for England...

We want are own assembly...

As I said on the count thread. I would be happy if The Speaker just ordered the Non English constituency MP's to leave the chamber. Cameron on BBC shortly

[delgarcon]

Madness is over. This is win of common sense.

Deception based on irrational and blind nationalism has lost.

I hope forever.

Salmond's concession speech clearly showed that he is looking for another go. Really think that would be a bad move. However, Salmond is the kind of guy who doesn't know when he is beaten even though he had previously stated that this was it 'for a generation'. Don't think another divisive campaign suits any other than those who care not what mayhem they will cause.

Just hope that Westminster holds to their promises, despite the noises coming from others within the Tory heartlands.

There will def not be another referendum in the near future, all parties have agreed to that!

[CWMcMurray]

Pretty much as expected... Most of those previously as "Undecided" went with no... Which is in-line with human nature

Well it's true some if the undecided may not have voted, a large portion did.

Those that were still undecided by this stage could not be flag waving nationalists on either side ... They were likely to be people who were unsure of what the consequences to them personally would be if they vote Yes...

So if they could not be convinced belong all doubt by the YES side that their lives would be better....

Then they would be more likely to vote no, as per human nature , most fear change

Better the devil you know and all that...

[Publicus]

With due regard of Scotts who want an independent Scotland, the United Kingdom needs to remain intact.

Global security requires it.

Democracy is under assault in SE Asia and in other parts of the world, led by Beijing and Moscow, aided and abetted by Brazil and the tag-along India which has a post war history of flirting with dictators, Marxist ones especially.

The UK's seat on the UN Security Council must continue to have its significant and substantial moral and political force behind it, to include its traditional and respected military force. The world needs the UK to continue to have its strong presence and impact at the IMF, the World Bank, the EU, Nato and the like.

The UK and the Anglosphere are the single most powerful driving force of the international order based in democracy, market economics, liberalism, human rights and much more.

While some hearts in Scotland will continue their pursuit of independence, it is very good to see the strong majority of almost all voters in Scotland declare themselves by legitimate democratic means for the preservation of the Union. Beijing and Moscow are sorely disappointed and that is very good.

[smokie36]

Great turnout....shame about the result.

Oh well let's see what nonsense comes out of this.

[Matej]

10% is a pretty big difference. No one can say it was close ...

Whether there will another referendum depends on central government. And of course nationalists would like to see another try in nearby future. You fail, try again ...

Important is that Britain didn't fall apart.

[beautifulthailand99]

Time for Salmond to get the William Wallce treatment at the Tower for his treachery against the Crown. Great result !

[laolover88]

What a bunch of wussies. Irish people must be smiling!

Of course unlike Scotland and Wales, they,the Irish that is, and the rest of Europe ,had a decent stretch of water between them.Imagine Europe if La Manche had not existed in modern times!

So Antigua, Myanmar and Lesotho have independence, but not Scotland

[Jingthing]

Give it up now forever!

From an outsiders POV independence would have been much more interesting to watch.

But I reckon if I was a Scot I would be quite pleased with the actual result.

The UK.

It's a good K.

Congratulations Scotland!

Edited September 19, 2014 by Jingthing

[Mosha]

Watching William Haigh, and I think the Barnet Formula could be a problem unless some concrete agreements are made. Labour had a lot to lose in the referendum, and no way will they be pleased about an English Parliament. I don't trust them.

[alantheembalmer]

Bugger; I was hoping for a "Yes" vote so that I could watch Scotland crash and burn.

Oh, well, maybe next time.

[mommysboy]

Great turnout....shame about the result.

Oh well let's see what nonsense comes out of this.

It was a great result for Scotland which has invigorated UK politics.

Scotland will eventually move to autonomy on tax and spending, which really is what independence is all about.

Westminster has already confirmed a big change.

Politicians both north and south of the border will be held more accountable.

[Matej]

David Cameron's statment on the referendum result. https://www.facebook.com/DavidCameronOfficial/posts/846948598662793

[planemad]

Smoked Salmond?

[webfact]

SCOTLAND
Scotland's next step? No independence but more powers
Agence France Presse


Photo : EPA

Edinburgh - Scotland may have rejected independence but will now be handed new powers by Britain which could amount to effective home rule -- though experts warn that agreeing these could be messy.

Devo max" -- greater powers which fall short of full independence -- was not on the referendum ballot paper.

Britain’s three main political parties ahead of the referendum agreed that Scotland could set more of its own laws from next year if it voted "No".

"The status quo is gone," British Prime Minister David Cameron said on Monday in his final Scottish speech of the campaign.

"There is no going back to the way things were. A vote for ’No’ means real change." Cameron was now expected to make an announcement as early as Friday for an overhaul of local governance in Britain.

Analysts say London needs effectively to hand Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond full control of domestic policy -- and even this may not kill off calls for another independence referendum.

"If ’Yes’ loses, Mr Salmond still wins," political commentator Andrew Rawnsley wrote before the vote in Sunday’s Observer newspaper. "Even if the union wins a reprieve, the argument is clearly not going to end there."

Negotiations will now start between Cameron’s Conservatives, coalition partners the Liberal Democrats and the main opposition Labour party on what extra powers to give the Scottish Parliament, which was set up in 1999 and already controls areas like health and education.

A policy paper due in November will outline what these new steps will be. They are likely to include greater control over taxation and some state benefits payments. Draft laws on decentralisation could then be ready by January.

Unlikely timetable

This fast timetable was agreed when Britain’s former prime minister Gordon Brown stepped into the debate after an opinion poll just 10 days before the vote gave the "Yes" camp a lead. Brown has promised Scotland "nothing less than a modern form of home rule." Polls suggest this would be popular with the public.

Asked what should happen next after a "No" vote, 67 per cent said Scotland’s parliament should take primary responsibility for tax and welfare benefits, according to poll trackers What Scotland Thinks in August.

But some say Brown’s timescale is too fast to be realistic given differences between the three parties on what they are prepared to give away.

"To rush headlong into new legislation may curry favour in the short term but is unlikely to provide a lasting settlement," wrote Professor Nicola McEwen of Edinburgh University in a blog this month.

McEwen told AFP that Salmond’s Scottish National Party, in power north of the border, is also likely to put forward its own proposals "which would look completely different to what is on the table now."

Assuming an agreement can be reached for Scotland, it would increase pressure for more powers to be handed to other parts of the United Kingdom -- the English regions plus Wales and Northern Ireland.

There would also be an irony in the situation for Cameron. When negotiations were taking place on what questions should be on the referendum ballot paper, it was reportedly the SNP who wanted "devo max" included.

The pro-union side, led by Cameron, is thought to have opposed it in a bid to secure a simple outright win for "No".

The promises made by the British government have also prompted politicians in Cameron’s Conservative party to call for the same treatment for England.

Newspapers in northern England on Friday united to demand more powers for their regions in a "fair deal after so many promises were made to Scotland during the referendum campaign".

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Scotlands-next-step-No-independence-but-more-power-30243649.html


-- The Nation 2014-09-19

[mommysboy]

Bugger; I was hoping for a "Yes" vote so that I could watch Scotland crash and burn.

Oh, well, maybe next time.

I don't think there will be a next time!

This was a once and for all vote.

SNP was allowed to choose wording, demographics, and timing unchallenged, which gave them a tremendous advantage, and still voted to remain in the UK.

One feature that developed was the frustration of rUK for not having a vote too.

With greater and greater autonomy there will be no need for any talk of independence anyway.

[smokie36]

Bugger; I was hoping for a "Yes" vote so that I could watch Scotland crash and burn.

Oh, well, maybe next time.

I don't think there will be a next time!

This was a once and for all vote.

SNP was allowed to choose wording, demographics, and timing unchallenged, which gave them a tremendous advantage, and still voted to remain in the UK.

One feature that developed was the frustration of rUK for not having a vote too.

With greater and greater autonomy there will be no need for any talk of independence anyway.

Let's hope so....in the end if Westminster gives proper devolution to the Scottish parliament it will prove to be a win win situation for us all.

Got to love the democracy seen here with a huge turnout....I'm proud of them all regardless.

[kingalfred]

Madness is over. This is win of common sense.

Deception based on irrational and blind nationalism has lost.

I hope forever.

Salmond's concession speech clearly showed that he is looking for another go. Really think that would be a bad move. However, Salmond is the kind of guy who doesn't know when he is beaten even though he had previously stated that this was it 'for a generation'. Don't think another divisive campaign suits any other than those who care not what mayhem they will cause.

Just hope that Westminster holds to their promises, despite the noises coming from others within the Tory heartlands.

There will def not be another referendum in the near future, all parties have agreed to that!

yes Edited September 19, 2014 by kingalfred