Concedes defeat

Salmond concedes the referendum as the ‘democratic verdict of the people of Scotland’ in a speech at 6.15 a.m. UK time, seven minutes after the count becomes a mathematical certainty for the No vote:

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.

He calls on pro-UK parties to deliver on their promises to devolve more powers to Scotland:

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 27 next year. 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.