Scotland remains with the UK after landslide vote
Scottish voters early Friday chose to remain with the United Kingdom following a campaign that was marked by extraordinary turnout and profound division. The “no” vote was decisively 55-percent of the majority, keeping the union.
A “no” vote means new life for a 307-year union that had appeared in danger of breaking apart. The unionist victory was already being heralded early Friday by relieved British officials who had come close to having to preside over a national divorce.
photo Endrick Shellycoat
The outcome was a deep disappointment for the vocal, enthusiastic pro-independence movement led by the Scottish first minister, Alex Salmond, who had seen an opportunity to make a centuries-old nationalist dream a reality. Salmond, of course, also stood to gain huge power of the “new” Scottish Parliament had the vote gone a different direction.
Salmond, while conceding defeat, insisted that the 1.6 million people who voted for independence showed the depth of yearning for the promises made by British political leaders to stave off disunion.
“Scotland will expect these to be honored in rapid course.”
“Like millions of other people, I am delighted…The people of Scotland have spoken and it is a clear result,” Prime Minister David Cameron said outside 10 Downing Street in London early Friday. “They have kept our country of four nations together. As I said during the campaign, it would have broken my heart to see our United Kingdom come to an end.”
Queen Elizabeth II was expected to give a statement Friday afternoon, Sky News reported.
“The people of Scotland have spoken,” Alistair Darling, leader of the “Better Together” campaign said early Friday after the result was confirmed. “We have chosen unity over division.”
Despite major victories for the “Yes” campaign in Dundee and Glasgow, a majority of voters did not embrace the plea to launch a new state.
Cameron, aware that his Conservative Party is widely loathed in Scotland, had previously begged voters not to use a vote for independence as a way to bash his party.
