Scottish voters have resoundingly rejected independence, deciding to remain part of the United Kingdom after a historic referendum that shook the country to its core.
The decision prevented a rupture of a 307-year union with England, bringing a huge sigh of relief to Britain’s political establishment, including Prime Minister David Cameron, who faced calls for his resignation if Scotland had broken away.
The vote on Thursday — 55 percent against independence to 45 percent in favor — saw an unprecedented turnout of just under 85 percent.
A majority of voters did not embrace Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond’s impassioned plea to launch a new nation, choosing instead the security offered by remaining in the U.K. with England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Still, the result sets up a whole new political dynamic in the kingdom, and Salmond in defeat will still be the man who wrangled more powers for his region away from London.
“We have chosen unity over division,” Alistair Darling, head of the No campaign, said early Friday in Glasgow. “Today is a momentous day for Scotland and the United Kingdom as a whole.”
The pound hit a two-year high against the euro and a two-week high against the U.S. dollar as markets shrugged off recent anxiety about a possible vote for independence. In early Asian trading, the pound jumped nearly 0.8 percent to $1.6525 against the U.S. dollar before falling back slightly. Britain’s main stock index opened higher.
A much-relieved Cameron promised outside his Downing Street office to live up to earlier promises to give Scotland new powers on taxes, spending and welfare. He said the new plans will be agreed upon by November, with draft legislation by January.
“We will ensure that those commitments are honored in full,” Cameron said. “We have heard the voice of Scotland, now the voices of millions in England must be heard.”
Cameron says giving more to Scotland requires that people in other parts of the U. K. get more rights to govern their own affairs as well, particularly in England.
Salmond conceded defeat and called on Scots to accept the result, but celebrated the vote itself.
“This has been a triumph for the democratic process and for participation in politics,” he said.
The No campaign won the capital city, Edinburgh, by a margin of 61 percent to 38 percent and triumphed by 59 percent to 41 percent in Aberdeen, the country’s oil center. The Yes campaign won Glasgow, Scotland’s biggest city, but it was not enough.
Salmond had argued that Scots could go it alone because of its extensive oil reserves and high levels of ingenuity and education. He said Scotland would flourish on its own, free of interference from any London-based government.
Many saw it as a “heads versus hearts” campaign, with cautious older Scots concluding that independence would be too risky financially, while younger ones were enamored with the idea of building their own country.
The result saved Cameron from a historic defeat and also helped opposition chief Ed Miliband by keeping his many Labour Party lawmakers in Scotland in place. Labour would have found it much harder to win a national election in 2015 without that support from Scotland.
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