April 24, 2024 02:09 (IST)
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Scotland says No to Independence, UK remains united
London/Glasgow, Sept 19 (IBNS) United Kingdom will remain united as Scotland said "No" to severing its 307 year long association with the UK in a historic referendum a day ago on whether it would be an Independent nation.
So Scotland will stay with England, Wales and Northern Ireland as part of Great Britain though a significant number also voted for Yes as results were declared on Friday.
After 31 of 32 councils's results were announced, it was clear that Scotland said No to independence.
Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond has accepted the verdict of defeat and thanked voters for a 86 percent turnout.
Scotland is part of the United Kingdom and covers the northern third of the island of Great Britain.
According to British media reports, an estimated 55 percent voters rejected the idea of independence while 46% supported it.
According to The Guardian, "Yes campaign scored a handful of notable successes, succeeding in the largest city of Glasgow by 53% to 47%, winning 54% in West Dunbartonshire and landing a convincing 57% win in Dundee."
British Prime Minister David Cameron tweeted that he "will be making a statement following the Scottish Referendum results just after 7 am."
"I've spoken to Alistair Darling - and congratulated him on an well-fought campaign," he said. Alistair Darling is a British Labour Party politician who has been an MP from Edinburgh South West (Scotland).
An organization called Yes Scotland representing the parties, groups, and individuals campaigning for a Yes vote in the Scottish independence referendum, 2014, which was launched in Edinburgh on 25 May 2012, said "whenever people look at and consider the issues, it becomes clear to them that Scotland can, should and must become an independent country."
Yes Scotland is the main campaign group for independence, while Better Together is the main campaign group to maintain the union.
Counting began after polls closed on Sept 18.
Following an agreement between the Scottish and the United Kingdom governments, the Scottish Independence Referendum Bill, setting out the arrangements for this referendum, was passed by the Scottish Parliament in Nov 2013.
The referendum question, as recommended by the Electoral Commission, is "Should Scotland be an independent country?" – voters can answer only Yes or No. To pass, the independence proposal requires a simple majority. All residents in Scotland aged 16 or over can vote, which is a total of about 4.3 million people.
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