Cameron and Salmond clash as Scotland count concludes

Scotland is to remain under London rule after voters rejected  Thursday’s independence referendum by 55 per cent to 45 per cent.

With all of the 32 constituencies now declared, the Yes side has

1,617,989 votes and the No side 2,001,926.  No wins by 55.3% to 44.7%  Turnout was close to 90 per cent in some areas.

Speaking as counting was concluding this morning, British prime minister  David Cameron warned pro-independence campaigners to cease their  activity and claimed the Scottish independence debate had been “settled  for a generation”.

He claimed there would be “no re-runs, no disputes” and now was time  “for our United Kingdom to come together and to move forward”.

Speaking on the steps of Downing Street, Mr Cameron said promises of  Scottish Home Rule made late in the campaign would be kept, but did not  say when.  Those promises appeared to have a sharp effect on the final  outcome, with the ‘Yes’ campaign falling away from an overall majority  in the final days.

The strength of the ‘Yes’ campaign had forced the British establishment  into a ‘carrot and stick’ approach to Scottish voters, with promises of  devolution issued alongside warnings of harsh economic measures against  an independent Scotland.

Cameron spoke of complicated legislation and a need for “fairness” for  the English, the Welsh and the Northern Irish.

The result was confirmed shortly before 7am when the head of the No  campaign, Alistair Darling, said “the silent had spoken”.

An hour earlier, Scottish Nationalist Party leader Alex Salmond appeared  on a stage in Edinburgh amid international acclaim for his efforts in  advancing Scotland’s cause. He indicated he would continue to campaign  for independence. and hinted the Edinburgh assembly might seek another  referendum in the years ahead.

He also insisted that the pledges of greater self-government be  delivered by the Westminster parliament within months.

“Scotland will expect these to be honoured in rapid course – as a  reminder, we have been promised a second reading of a Scotland Bill by  March 27th next year,” he said.

“Not just the 1.6 million Scots who voted for independence will demand  that timetable is followed but all Scots who participated in this  referendum will demand that timetable is followed,” he said.

“Whatever else we can say about this referendum campaign, we have  touched sections of the community who have never before been touched by  politics, these sections of the community have touched us and touched  the political process.

“I don’t think that will ever be allowed to go back to business as usual  in politics again.”

In a rallying call, Mr Salmond urged the ‘Yes’ voters to reflect on how  far they had come.

“I don’t think any of us, whenever we entered politics, would have  thought such a thing to be either credible or possible,” he said.

“Today of all days as we bring Scotland together, let us not dwell on  the distance we have fallen short, let us dwell on the distance we have  travelled and have confidence the movement is abroad in Scotland that  will take this nation forward and we shall go forward as one nation.”

The following is the full count result:

 Council                        Electorate      Yes     No

Aberdeen City          175,745         41.39%  58.61%

Aberdeenshire          206,486         39.64%  60.36%

Angus                           93,551         43.68%  56.32%

Argyll & Bute           72,002         41.48%  58.52%

Clackmannanshire        39,972         46.20%  53.80%

6. nan Eilean Siar 22,908         46.58%  53.42%

Dumfries/Galloway      122,036         34.33%  65.67%

Dundee City            118,729         57.35%  42.65%

East Ayrshire           99,664         47.22%  52.78%

8. Dunbartonshire 86,836         38.80%  61.20%

East Lothian            81,945         38.28%  61.72%

East Renfrewshire       72,981         36.81%  63.19%

Edinburgh                      378,012         38.90%  61.10%

Falkirk                        122,457         46.53%  53.47%

Fife                           302,165         44.95%  55.05%

Glasgow                        486,219         53.49%  46.51%

Highland                       190,778         47.08%  52.92%

Inverclyde              62,481         49.92%  50.08%

Midlothian              69,617         43.70%  56.30%

Moray                           75,170         42.44%  57.56%

North Ayrshire         113,923         48.99%  51.01%

North Lanarkshire      268,704         51.07%  48.93%

Orkney Islands          17,806         32.80%  67.20%

Perth & Kinross        120,015         39.81%  60.19%

Renfrewshire           134,735         47.19%  52.81%

Scottish Borders        95,533         33.44%  66.56%

Shetland Islands        18,516         36.29%  63.71%

South Ayrshire          94,881         42.13%  57.87%

South Lanarkshire      261,157         45.33%  54.67%

Stirling                        69,033         40.23%  59.77%

3. Dunbartonshire 71,109         53.96%  46.04%

West Lothian           138,226         44.82%  55.18%

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