#indyref: the live results
The polls have closed and the votes are being counted. Should Scotland be an independent country? That was the question for the Scottish people: tonight, overnight, we will find out the answer.
– Scotland will stay part of the UK as no vote wins the day
– PM David Cameron says it’s time for English people to be heard
– Very high turnout across Scotland, between 75 per cent up to 88 per cent in some areas
http://cf.datawrapper.de/9UaEE/1/
http://cf.datawrapper.de/UeTMg/3/
Alex Salmond accepts the #indyref result:
Vibrance of the referendum campaign+massive participation in the vote send a message to the atrophy and democratic deficit at Westminster
Well done to Glasgow, our commonwealth city, and to the people of Scotland for such a incredible support
— Alex Salmond (@AlexSalmond) September 19, 2014
I’ve spoken to Alistair Darling – and congratulated him on an well-fought campaign. #indyref
— David Cameron (@David_Cameron) September 19, 2014
Vibrance of the referendum campaign+massive participation in the vote send a message to the atrophy and democratic deficit at Westminster
— Jon Snow (@jonsnowC4) September 19, 2014
The size of the YES vote ensures that they have Prime Minister Cameron and the Westminster Government in an armlock on genuine devolution
— Jon Snow (@jonsnowC4) September 19, 2014
Channel 4 News Economics Editor Paul Mason writes: “Combined, they (the SNP) did not produce an Obama effect for the simple reason Salmond is not Obama.” Read his full blog here.
A major result for the yes campaign – Glasgow votes for independence, 195,000 to 169,000.
A flurry of results – all going for no – East Renfrewshire, Dumfries and Galloway, Aberdeen, Angus and Falkirk.
Channel 4 News Political Editor Gary Gibbon writes: “When even the Western Isles is voting no, a bastion of nationalist support, it suggests this isn’t happening for the independence supporters.” Read his full blog here.
Channel 4 News Correspondent Paul Mason writes from Glasgow: “It’s looking clearer despite only one per cent of votes cast. Yes strategists around me now thinking 46 per cent is realistic – ie roughly where opinion polls put them. Only massive yes majority in Glasgow/ Dundee can win independence – in truth most campaigners knew they hadn’t broken through by 10pm.
At this point the action turns to London: how much tax devolution and do Scottish MPs get barred from voting on English issues in return?
But Scotland remains a very politically unstable place. The ruling SNP gets a large amount of tax devolution; the radical independence people probably form a party to the left of Labour, and Labour wakes up the toast of Tory/far right England but not the toast of working class Scotland.
The political dynamic of Scotland has changed probably forever, and will now diverge further from the rest of the UK.
If it pans out as I expect now, I was wrong to say Clydeside was the critical battleground; even if this Labour heartland votes yes, it looks like the critical battlegrounds were the central Scotland areas where big turnouts of Labour voting public sector salariat for No reflected the effectiveness of the fear strategy.
In the end, for all the sturm & drang, Alex Salmond gets a fiscally semi-autonomous Scotland underwritten by the British state, which is roughly what he wanted. However I stress, these are early results. More soon.The polls have closed and the votes are being counted. Should Scotland be an independent country? That was the question for the Scottish people: tonight, overnight, we will find out the nation’s answer.
Listen to Paul Mason’s latest analysis, from 1am, here.
One number so far may be one of the most significant – the absolutely astounding turn-out figures
— alex thomson (@alextomo) September 19, 2014
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http://cf.datawrapper.de/1FYtu/1/
Here’s Paul Mason live from George Square in Glasgow just after the polls closed at 10pm.
