Scottish Independence

[Liquid]

"English Parliament" began trending on Twitter. As in, "What effect will this have on the English Parliament?".

I hadn't even finished reading before I had aired my pedantry about the West Lothian question and the fact that it's the British Parliament and not the English one. Really, galvanised interest in politics Scotland may have done, but education of how politics works still has a long way to go.

 

[Touring Mars]

First indication of a result - Ruth Davidson MSP (Better Together) says her information is that North Lanarkshire is probably a Yes majority. It's the 4th largest region, and although it is predicted to be a marginal Yes area, it would be a boost for Yes. If No gets a majority in either Lanarkshire, however, it would be a pretty bad sign for Yes.

 

[Omnis]

In other words, No means No?

 

[Sanji Himura]

A final Ipsos MORI poll released Thursday put support for the No side at 53 percent and Yes at 47 percent. The phone survey of 991 people has a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points.

 

[Brend]

Let the speculation begin.

Clear 'Yes' vote amongst the No' votes.

 

[Furinkazen]

Let the speculation begin.

Clear 'Yes' vote amongst the No' votes.

Oh, dear.

 

[Robin]

I'm pretty sure they have been unloaded and bundled up into piles before counting, just happen to be sitting on that table.

Conspiracy theories

 

[DK]

A fiver says that will be plastered over Russia Today.

 

[Touring Mars]

People in 'jumping to conclusions' shock on social media!

 

[Brend]

 

[Touring Mars]

First declaration of the night:

Clackmannanshire: YES - 46.2 % NO - 53.8 % ; Turnout - 88.6%

0.93% electorate, 'Yes' rating: 10/10 (from here)

 

[Omnis]

Yes response: "Oh, clack!"

 

[Touring Mars]

Orkney: YES - 32.8 % NO - 67.2 % ; Turnout - 83.7%

0.4% electorate, 'Yes' rating: 0/10 (from here)

Massive defeat for Yes... (but not unexpected)

 

[Robin]

OK, who was the one person who ticked both boxes in the Orkney vote? Come on, own up!

 

[Touring Mars]

Shetland: YES - 36.3 % NO - 63.7 % ; Turnout - 84.4%

0.4% electorate, 'Yes' rating: 0/10 (from here)

No shock there, but it is now almost 60/40 No in total now as a few people here have predicted...

Still got all of the big areas to come, and since this is just a pure count between Yes and No, they will be much more significant.

Midlothian is apparently a key target for Yes, but I'm hearing that it is being called for No - Edinburgh is apparently strongly No (as is expected), and Glasgow not as strongly Yes (and with a lower turnout than elsewhere) as it might have been. Looking bad for Yes right now, but it's still early doors.

edti:

Eilean Siar (Western Isles): YES - 46.6 % NO - 53.4 % ; Turnout - 86.2%

0.5% electorate

Apparently the pundits were predicting this to be the other way around, esp. since the Western Isles have an SNP MP in Westminster...

 

[MatskiMonk]

UKIP have wheeled out Jabba the Hutt for some reason.

edit:

Inverclyde...

80 odd votes from 54,000... pretty amazing really.

 

[Touring Mars]

It's going to start tightening up as the larger councils declare...

Glasgow is the biggest and it is almost certainly a Yes win - but it depends on the margin.

Edinburgh is the next biggest and it is almost certainly a No win...

I have to say, I'm not anything like as confident as some others appear to be about a No win - it's started badly for Yes, but it is still very early...

 

[Brend]

As someone from Inverclyde, you can tell for sure who exactly made that vote so close.

It certainly wasn't the working class factor.

 

[photonrider]

It's going to start tightening up as the larger councils declare...

Glasgow is the biggest and it is almost certainly a Yes win - but it depends on the margin.

Edinburgh is the next biggest and it is almost certainly a No win...

I have to say, I'm not anything like as confident as some others appear to be about a No win - it's started badly for Yes, but it is still very early...

It is. Add Aberdeen and Dundee to that mix, and this could be close.

Maybe not too early to break out the single malt, though.

 

[Brend]

Edinburgh is definitely gonna snuff this out, I think.

Too much money in 'Tourist Scotland' after all.

 

[Touring Mars]

It's going to come down to Glasgow and Edinburgh - lower turnout in Glasgow could be crucial.

Maybe not too early to break out the single malt, though.

Yep, cracked that open a few hours ago

 

[photonrider]

Glasgow is definitely critical to this decision.

There's a lot of activity down here in Toronto - with large groups supporting one decision or the other; clubs are overflowing.
A lot of scotch being drunk; beer is taking a hit.

 

[Touring Mars]

Glasgow will be a certain Yes - but even with a 60%-40% Yes vote, it will swing the overall total by 73,000 - and Yes are already 150,000 behind... Edinburgh is likely to be the largest No vote still to come. A 60% No vote in Edinburgh would yield a swing back to No of 60,000 - 55% (very likely) will give 30,000.

edit: Glasgow 53.5% Yes, 46.5% No... majority of just over 25,000... nowhere near enough.

Game over for Yes Scotland.

 

[axletramp]

So that's it, it's official - Scotland votes NO to independence.

The best result today. Let's hope everyone can take the positives from this and move forward.

YES: 45.58% NO: 55.42

Actually closer than I expected.

 

[Omnis]

Well, now that that's over, maybe Kent should have a go at secession to be the next Singapore Of The North.

"Yes, we Kent! Yes, we Kent!"

 

[Liquid]

How many countries in history have legitimately voted against their own independence?

 

[prisonermonkeys]

David Cameron has announced that he wants to grant a greater degree of self-determination to Wales and Northern Ireland to match the freedoms Scotland will get, and he wants to address the West Lothian question.

How many countries in history have legitimately voted against their own independence?

We did in 1999. Mostly because of the wording of the referendum, which said that the people would elect the politicians, and the politicians would elect the leader from amongst themselves.

 

[axletramp]

How many countries in history have legitimately voted against their own independence?

The UK at every general election?

Ooooo, satire!

 

[Liquid]

We did in 1999. Mostly because of the wording of the referendum, which said that the people would elect the politicians, and the politicians would elect the leader from amongst themselves.

Despite sharing a head of state with other countries, Australia is an independent nation. I wouldn't class going republic as being independent for a country with sovereignty and international recognition already, but I didn't know you had had a republic referendum as recently as 1999. Although I can see how voting to keep a hereditary monarchy is a bit odd.

 

[optiongamers]

Just seen the result and I am dissapointed but I am over it now and if thats what the people then thats what they can have.