Washington: Scotland spurned independence in a historic referendum that threatened to rip the United Kingdom apart, sow financial turmoil and diminish Britain’s remaining global clout.A vote for the 307-year union is a relief for millions of Britons including Prime Minister David Cameron, whose job was on the line, as well as allies across the world who was horrified at the prospect of the United Kingdom’s separation.
With 31 of 32 constituencies declared, unionists had won 55 percent of the vote while separatists were on 45 percent.Unionists cheered, kissed and drank wine at a party in Glasgow while nationalist leader Alex Salmond conceded defeat in front of an image of a giant white on blue Scottish flag in Edinburgh.
Scots were asked to answer “Yes” or “No” to the question: “Should Scotland be an independent country?Voters lined up at polling stations across Scotland to vote with 4.28 million voters, or 97 percent of the electorate, registered to vote. Turnout hit a record high.
The prime minister will speak shortly and Queen Elizabeth is also expected to put out a statement.
Cameron was largely absent from the campaign, leaving former Prime Minister Gordon Brown to lead the unionist battle cry.
The prospect of breaking up the world’s sixth-largest economy and a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council have stoked concern in the United States and Europe, particularly in countries like Spain which face their own secessionist movement.
Washington has made clear it wanted the United Kingdom, its main ally in Europe, to remain together.The risk of huge disruption from Scottish independence is gone. Not for good, given the still high support for a No in the polls, but for a considerable time,” said Robert Wood, economist at Berenberg Bank. “For now markets can return to normal.
Bureau Report
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