Scottish independence referendum: Scotland votes no - as it happened
This article is more than 9 years old
Rolling coverage of the results of the Scottish independence referendum, with reaction and analysis as Scotland pulls back from leaving the United Kingdom
Many English MPs - predominantly, but not exclusively from the Conservative party - have been unhappy about the way the government has recently promised further devolution for Scotland without doing something for England. Some also think Scotland gets an unfair share of UK government spending.
One particular problem is that the 59 Scottish MPs are allowed to vote on laws that affect England but not Scotland (where the Scottish parliament is in charge of matters like education and health). There are tentative plans to get round this by stopping Scottish MPs voting on English-only bills, but this option is problematic because it would create two classes of MPs, and could lead to a government having a UK majority but not an English majority. AS
There are some reports of insiders in the anti-independence Better Together camp speculating on a win as high as 57%.
But Severin Carrell has been talking to his sources in Edinburgh, who are much more circumspect:
A senior source in Better Together refused to speculate on the likely result, because so many voters had taken part. ‘The turnout is very, very high. We’re feeling good, we’re feeling confident but I wouldn’t be calling it just now.’
But he said the postal vote returns – already the highest on record with the number of postal votes requested standing at nearly 790,000, [789,512] – were ‘solid for us, across the country’. In some places, postal vote returns were over 90%.
Ben Quinn writes from Aberdeenshire, in Alex Salmond’s backyard, where the Scottish first minister and leader of the yes campaign had been expected at the local count but is now not attending:
An early indication that the yes campaign is braced for defeat?
Scotland’s first minister, Alex Salmond, will be residing overnight at his home in the north east of Aberdeenshire, rather than coming to one of the referendum counts nearby.
The fact that the SNP leader will not be going to the count for the council area which encompasses his constituency was being seen by some observers as an indicator that he expected the yes side to lose the referendum and was limiting his exposure tonight.
One of Salmond’s staff told the Guardian as late as yesterday that the plan was that he would spend the day at his home in Strichen, go to the count before going on to Edinburgh in the morning so it does appear to be a change in plan.
Salmond is expected to go to Edinburgh in the early morning, according to SNP sources. There is an SNP press conference scheduled for 10am on Friday in Edinburgh.
Scotland and England were united in 1707 with the Acts of Union. A Conservative MP, Michael Fabricant, says it is time for a new Act of Union to give the UK a new constitutional settlement.
Now is the time for a new Act of Union. A new deal for the 4 nations (3 if Yes) of the United Kingdom.
With the YouGov poll and Better Together briefing creating the impression that yes has lost (before a single result has come in), in the spirit of fairness it is worth pointing out that Alex Salmond, Scotland’s first minister, has already chalked up a significant victory.
Originally he floated the idea of having three options on the ballot paper: independence, the status quo, or more devolution for Scotland. The UK government blocked this. Officially this was because it wanted voters to have a simple choice, but in part it was because David Cameron, the UK prime minister, knew voters would back further devolution.
In recent months, as no camp’s lead in the poll narrowed and the Westminster parties realised they would have to offer something to Scotland to stop yes gaining ground, all three main UK parties agreed that they would promise Scotland more powers, including significant new powers over tax. After a shock poll showed yes ahead, Westminster upped its offer, promising swift legislation for further devolution, in a move that will push the UK towards a federalism.
On further devolution - or “devo max”, as it is often called - Salmond has already won. Handsomely. AS
Esther Addley, who earlier today visited Scotland’s most northerly polling station on the island of Unst, is now a little further south in Lerwick, Shetland.
There is a quiet bustle inside Clickimin Leisure centre in Lerwick, where counting agents are flicking through small piles of ballot papers behind a velvet rope, and observers from both sides of the campaign mingle quietly.
The yes campaign is more visible here, with around 10 of its supporters wearing rosettes or blue yes T-shirts, while those on the Better Together side are soberly dressed in suits and small lapel badges.
Danus Skene. Photograph: Esther Addley/Guardian
Danus Skene, a retired teacher who once stood as a Labour parliamentary candidate and is sporting a large blue and white rosette, said the YouGov poll results putting no on 54% had had a dampening effect on the morale of the yes team, “which is what you are seeing here”, gesturing at his own supporters.
“But we just don’t know. There are stories even here of people who had a firm conviction until yesterday but changed their minds.
“The reason we really don’t know is this monumental turnout, and the fact that huge numbers of people have registered to vote in recent weeks. Someone who has never got off their arse in an active election, how on earth do the pollsters or anyone else know how they will really vote?”
Geordie Jacobson, one of the leading local no campaigners, said he was also feeling cautious about the YouGov result. “I just hope they are right. I’m not feeling confident based on an opinion poll, we’ve got to wait until we see a few results first.”
He was feeling “apprehensive” about the evening ahead, he said. “I’m a fairly pragmatic fellow, and whatever will be will be. But I’ve felt in recent days that it was going our way, certainly in Shetland and I hope nationally as well.”
Here’s a reminder of just how far north Unst, and the Shetlands, are.
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