Scottish voters have voted in favor of keeping the country's 307-year union with Britain intact in a historic independence referendum Results from 31 out of 32 election councils show that 55 percent of votes were in favor of remaining part of Britain, compared to 45 percent who voted for independence.
In Glasgow, Scotland's largest city, 61 percent of voters chose 'Yes' to independence, with 39 percent voting against it. However, voters in the Scottish capital, Edinburgh, and Aberdeen, the country's third largest city, rejected independence by wide margins.
Better Together campaign leader Alistair Darling said Friday's results were momentous for both Scotland and Britain as a whole. "The people of Scotland have spoken. We have chosen unity over division and positive change rather than needless separation," said Darling. In a speech conceding his defeat, Scottish Nationalist Leader Alex Salmond called the referendum a triumph of the democratic process and urged Scotland's independence supporters to accept the results of the vote.
“Scotland has by a majority decided not at this stage to become an independent country. I accept that verdict of the people and I call on all of Scotland to follow suit in accepting the democratic verdict of the people of Scotland," said Salmond. Leaders of Britain's three main parties, shocked by the strong showing of the independence campaign in recent weeks, scrambled to offer Scots more devolved powers if they remained part of the United Kingdom. “Scotland will expect these to be honored in rapid course,” Salmond said. British Prime Minister David Cameron said the debate on Scottish independence has now been settled, and that Britain will honor its commitments to give Scotland new powers, including on affairs such as tax, spending and welfare. Cameron said those rights will also be extended to England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Nearly all of Scotland's 4 million eligible voters - 97 percent - registered to cast their ballot in the referendum.
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