Clegg: UK must deliver
Clegg welcomes the referendum result and says that the onus is on the UK to deliver the devolution promises:
I’m absolutely delighted the Scottish people have taken this momentous decision to safeguard our family of nations for future generations. In a dangerous and uncertain world I have no doubt we are stronger, safer, and more prosperous together than we ever could be apart. But a vote against independence was clearly not a vote against change and we must now deliver on time and in full the radical package of newly devolved powers to Scotland.
Farage: ‘English want fair settlement’
UKIP leader Farage criticizes the UK government’s handling of the referendum, as granting more powers to the Scottish Parliament worsens what he says is an advantage over England for Scotland gained via devolution:
The way that Westminster handled this was abysmal from the start. A series of promises were made on behalf of the English. The English are 86% by population of this union, they’ve been left out of all of this [The Barnett formula] for the past 18 years … what most English people want is a fair settlement.
Miliband: ‘UK is stronger’
Miliband says the union is stronger following the independence referendum:
Our UK is stronger today than it was yesterday.
Barroso: ‘Good for Europe’
Barroso says the referendum result is a positive for Europe:
This outcome is good for the united, open and stronger Europe that the European Commission stands for.
RBS: ‘Business as usual’
Royal Bank of Scotland assures the public that it will be remaining in the country:
Following the result, it is business as usual for all our customers across UK and RBS.
Clydesdale Bank: ‘Strong roots in Scotland’
After threatening to move its head office to England if Scotland chose independence, Clydesdale Bank says it will remain in the country:
Business as usual, with strong roots in Scotland.
Standard Life: ‘No plans to move’
Standard Life says that following the referendum result, it will not leave the country:
We have no plans to move any part of our business out of Scotland.
‘Change starts today’
Branson says that despite the No vote for independence, the referendum will create significant change for Scotland:
This referendum has not only been a driver of change for Scotland, but also for the entire political landscape of the UK.
As well as the promise of increased powers for Holyrood, it has strengthened the debate over devolution throughout the UK, including the so-called West Lothian question over whether Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish members of parliament can vote on matters that only affect England:
Radical devolution of powers is the way forward for the UK.
Westminster must deliver:
The Scottish people should be proud of the turnout of this referendum. It was a great example of democracy. Now Parliament must deliver on devolving more powers to Scotland and the rest of the UK.
This referendum was a vote for change, and change begins today http://t.co/i2fr14FYR7 #indyref pic.twitter.com/GRv6ahHHSz
— Richard Branson (@richardbranson) September 19, 2014
Announces resignation
Salmond announces that he will resign as First Minister and head of the SNP. He will remain in the post until the SNP’s annual conference in Perth on Nov. 13-15 and will then stand down and allow another leader to be elected. He does not endorse a successor. At his official residence in Edinburgh:
It has been the privilege of my life to serve Scotland as First Minister. But as I said often during the referendum campaign this is not about me or the SNP. It is much more important than that. The position is this. We lost the referendum vote but can still carry the political initiative. More importantly Scotland can still emerge as the real winner.
‘Scotland Bill promise broken’
Salmond says in his resignation speech that Cameron has broken a campaign promise made by Brown:
I spoke to the Prime Minister today and, although he reiterated his intention to proceed as he has outlined, he would not commit to a second reading vote by March 27 on a Scotland Bill. That was a clear promise laid out by Gordon Brown during the campaign. The Prime Minister says such a vote would be meaningless. I suspect he cannot guarantee the support of his party.
Supporters clash
0 CommentsSupporters of the Yes and No campaigns clash in Glasgow’s George Square, with the pro-union supporters eventually becoming unruly, resulting in 10 arrests by police. A standoff develops around 6 p.m. (1 p.m. EDT) between a crowd waving Union Jacks and ‘No Thanks’ banners, and Yes supporters, who have regularly held rallies in the square in previous days. The No supporters include men, women and children carrying banners associated with Orange Lodges in Glasgow who say they are there to celebrate the ‘saving of the Union.’ However parts of the crowd begin singing sectarian football-style songs and chants. The two groups are initially separated by a police cordon. Pro-union chants:
We love Scotland more than you
Alex Salmond is a w*nker
You let your country down
The Yes campaigners disperse but the No crowd grows to around 500 people and a sudden surge appears to break police control, allowing the crowd to spill onto St. Vincent Street and then up Buchanan Street. Police make around 10 arrests by 8:30 p.m. (3:30 p.m. EDT.)
Scene on st Vincent place pic.twitter.com/J38Ua2gAqC
— Chris Green (@ChrisGreenNews) September 19, 2014
Orkney: No 67%-33%
0 CommentsOrkney, one of the most Unionist areas of the country, votes No by 10,004 (67%) to 4,883 (33%). Turnout is 84%.
The Queen ‘purred’
While speaking to the former mayor of New York, Michael Bloomberg, Cameron is overheard saying that he has never seen someone so happy after he informed the Queen of the Scottish referendum poll results. Recalling that he had called the Queen to say “it’s all right”, he said: “She purred down the line. I’ve never heard someone so happy.”
It should never have been that close. It wasn’t in the end, but there was a time in the middle of the campaign when it felt… I’ve said I want to find these polling companies and I want to sue them for my stomach ulcers because of what they put me through, you know. It was very nervous.
Buckingham Palace declines comment
