h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

My spelling.

(Sorry. This really belongs in the 'petty hates' thread. )

PP.

Anybody else watching the results?

Yes, it's looking quite promising so far. I'm feeling a bit more hopeful that people haven't fallen for SNP fantasies...

I'm 6 hours behind and I'm occasionally checking the results.

So far I'm on my first double Highland Park.

As to the Indyref results, only the smallest counts are in from Orkney and one other remote area, so it's really too early to tell.

In the last hour it's gone from 2 to 5 counts and from yes 42% / no 58% to yes 45% / no 55%.


It's a small trend yet, but it indicates a very close vote. I'm sure the last counts will be the biggest, from the metropolitan areas of Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen.

Damn it, Scotland and your suspense!

2 more counts and its 51%/49%.

I think the yes campaign will be starting to feel disheartened now

Results coming in thick and fast now. Time for

Well, Glasgow has been declared the yes campaign must be on verge of admitting defeat.

Going to be interesting see how this pans out politically, Dave for now lives another day but with luck the Conservatives are going to self destruct

It's currently 54%/46% for No with 23 of 36 councils reporting including Glasgow.

it's so close but I think it's going to go the "No" way but a fantastic turn out

Wonderful to see those young people voting, hopefully this will be something that stays with them for life.

Gosh I hope so. The participation level has been great

Does Alex Salmond have to go to The Tower now?

PP.

Yeah...

At 84% turnout, 30 of 32 councils counted, 55%/45% No,
and only Highland and Moray councils left. I think it's called.


That said, the discussion begins again...


Cameron begged for a No vote, suggested a lot of things, but promised nothing in detail...


What's next?

For now coming to terms with the result . It is going to be interesting while the party leaders have signed up to the pledge, what their party membership and the voters think about it is a whole different matter

well - this is the text of David Cameron's statement this morning. It seems fairly positive for everyone


The people of Scotland have spoken. It is a clear result.

They have kept our country of four nations together.

Like millions of other people, I’m delighted.

As I said during the campaign, it would have broken my heart to see our United Kingdom come to an end.

And I know that sentiment was shared by people, not just across our country, but also around the world - because of what we've achieved together in the past and what we can do together in the future.

So now it is time for our United Kingdom to come together, and to move forward.

A vital part of that will be a balanced settlement - fair to people in Scotland, and importantly to everyone in England, Wales and Northern Ireland as well.

Let us first remember why we had this debate - and why it was right to do so.

The Scottish National Party was elected in 2011 in Scotland and promised a referendum on independence.

We could have blocked that, we could have put it off - but just as with other issues, it was right to take - not duck - the big decision.

I am a passionate believer in our United Kingdom - I wanted more than anything for our United Kingdom to stay together.

But I am also a democrat. And it was right that we respected the SNP's majority in Holyrood and gave the Scottish people the right to have their say.

Let us also remember why it was right to ask the definitive question, Yes or No.

Because now the debate has been settled for a generation - or as Alex Salmond has said, perhaps for a lifetime.

So there can be no disputes, no re-runs - we have heard the settled will of the Scottish people.

Scotland voted for a stronger Scottish Parliament backed by the strength and security of the United Kingdom, and I want to congratulate the No campaign for that - for showing people that our nations really are better together.

I also want to pay tribute to Yes Scotland for a well-fought campaign, and to say to all those who did vote for independence: 'we hear you'.

We now have a chance - a great opportunity - to change the way the British people are governed, and change it for the better.

Political leaders on all sides of the debate now bear a heavy responsibility to come together and work constructively to advance the interests of people in Scotland, as well as those in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, for each and every citizen of our United Kingdom.

To those in Scotland sceptical of the constitutional promises made, let me say this: we have delivered on devolution under this Government, and we will do so again in the next Parliament.

The three pro-union parties have made commitments on further powers for the Scottish Parliament.

We will ensure that they are honoured.

And I can announce today that Lord Smith of Kelvin - who so successfully led Glasgow’s Commonwealth Games - has agreed to oversee the process to take forward the devolution commitments, with powers over tax, spending and welfare all agreed by November and draft legislation published by January.

Just as the people of Scotland will have more power over their affairs, so it follows that the people of England, Wales and Northern Ireland must have a bigger say over theirs.

The rights of these voters need to be respected, preserved and enhanced as well.

It is absolutely right that a new and fair settlement for Scotland should be accompanied by a new and fair settlement that applies to all parts of the United Kingdom.

In Wales, there are proposals to give the Welsh Government and Assembly more powers.

And I want Wales to be at the heart of the debate on how to make our United Kingdom work for all our nations.

In Northern Ireland, we must work to ensure that the devolved institutions function effectively.

I have long believed that a crucial part missing from this national discussion is England.

We have heard the voice of Scotland - and now the millions of voices of England must not go ignored.

The question of English votes for English laws - the so-called West Lothian question - requires a decisive answer.

So, just as Scotland will vote separately in the Scottish Parliament on their issues of tax, spending and welfare, so too England, as well as Wales and Northern Ireland, should be able to vote on these issues - and all this must take place in tandem with, and at the same pace as, the settlement for Scotland.

I hope that is going to take place on a cross-party basis. I have asked William Hague to draw up these plans.

We will set up a Cabinet Committee right away and proposals will also be ready to the same timetable.

I hope the Labour Party and other parties will contribute.

It is also important we have wider civic engagement about how to improve governance in our United Kingdom, including how to empower our great cities - and we will say more about this in the coming days.

This referendum has been hard fought. It has stirred strong passions. It has electrified politics in Scotland, and caught the imagination of people across the whole of our United Kingdom.

It will be remembered as a powerful demonstration of the strength and vitality of our ancient democracy.

Record numbers registered to vote and record numbers cast their vote.

We can all be proud of that.

It has reminded us how fortunate we are that we are able to settle these vital issues at the ballot box, peacefully and calmly.

Now we must look forward, and turn this into the moment when everyone - whichever way they voted - comes together to build that better, brighter future for our entire United Kingdom.

I was happy when I heard the Noes had won. I spent my life from 10-20 years old in Orkney so do feel a bit of an affinity.

I have to admit when I listened to David Cameron's speech on the radio I thought his speech-writer deserved a medal. Apart from a bit too much stressing of "OUR United Kingdom" I thought it was very positive and hopeful. It was refreshing to listen to a politician who didn't start off with something like "Under [the other party] this could have been a very different result" or words to that effect.

Deb

the Orkneys had the biggest percentage difference between the Yes and the Nos, didn't they?

Will they still keep their own football team?



Having lived through the re-unification of Germany (actually, it's still ongoing if you ask me) which started 25 years ago, I can quite understand that it would have taken a good 40+ years to actually put independence in place. So many who voted Yes would probably not have lived to see the results.

Those quotes of David Cameron were not bad. Not a load of bla-bla, but some actual facts and things that are really going to be done and many cross-party references.

the football thing is irrelevant, not like having the unified German team, because the sport's governing body recognises national teams if their country has its own league, which Scotland does.

I'll be interested to see what happens now - but I can't help feeling we've all missed out on something potentially very special.