Scotland Says No to Divorce in Historic Vote, will Remain Part of United Kingdom

It's a clear 'No'. Scotland has voted to stay in the United Kingdom after voters overwhelmingly said 'No' to independence on Thursday. Until earlier on Friday, 31 out of the country's 32 council areas declared their voting results. The 'No' side has an almost landslide lead of 1,914, 187 votes to 1,539,920.

The United Kingdom woke up to a mathematical certainty at around 6 am local time that the 'No' vote would win, as the returning officer in Fife announced a comfortable No vote. Soon Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond said he accepted the defeat and called for national unity. "The unionist parties made vows late in the campaign to devolve more powers to Scotland," he told he supporters.

"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."

Meanwhile, PM David Cameron has now promised for a UK-wide change in order to "build better future" adding that he was delighted by the result. 

 Watch Scottish Referendum Results Live: How to Follow Voting Information; Best Sites, Twitter Accounts to Get Latest

5:45am BST:  PM David Cameron: "I've spoken to Alistair Darling – and congratulated him on an well-fought campaign."

Alex Salmond says, "Well done to Glasgow, our Commonwealth city, and to the people of Scotland for such a incredible support".

The two leaders gave the above statements on Twitter.

5: 30 am BST: The BBC are now predicting the final share of the vote at 55% for no, and 45% for yes.

5: 25 am BST: Nicola Sturgeon, deputy first minister of Scotland, concedes defeat.

Severin Carrell has send these words from her, according to Guardian: 

"There isn't a yes vote tonight. We will be deeply disappointed but I have also been exhilarated by this campaign. I think that there are two clear messages coming out of it; firstly the people of Scotland have clearly found their voice. Secondly with over one million voting for independence at this stage, there's a big appetite for change. What we are not seeing, emphatically not, is any kind of endorsement of the status quo."

Asked if she was conceding defeat, Sturgeon said: 'I'm not denying the state of the results just now. I'm not trying to spin myself out of the reality of the result. There are still results to declare. We will need to see those results before we get the final tally, but its absolutely clear that there has been demand for change and let's get that change delivered now."

5:00am BST: Sky News has called the overall result as a no citing a mathematical probability. Sky News Election expert Michael Thrasher says, it is mathematically impossible for yes to win, it is because the voting trends effectively make this an impossibility.

Analysts are saying only miracle can make it 'Yes'.

4:56 am BST: Glasgow says Yes. Yes gets 194,779 (53.49%) and No gets 169,347 (46.51%).

Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland's deputy first minister was cited by Guardian as saying that the results showed a massive demand for change.

4:50 am BST: The result for Glasgow is coming soon. According to sources cited by media, the City has voted Yes by a "reasonable margin."

Perth and Kinross has rejected independence. No 60%, yes 40%. Turnout: 87%.

4: 45 am BST: Results from a lot of areas are continuously trickling in. As of now West Dunbartonshire and Dundee city are the only ones to say 'Yes' to Scotland's independence.

4.38 am BST- Labour Party's Scottish leader Johann Lamont claims victory for No campaign.

4.30 am BST - As many as 12 of the total 32 local authorities have declared results, putting the No campaign in the lead position. The Yes vote has won in two places, Dundee and West Dunbartonshire.

-- YouGov's Peter Kellner says he was "99% certain" that no would win the referendum.

--  Pound Sterling rises sharply as early results put 'No' votes ahead.  The pound rebounds in Asia as early results of the Scottish referendum put "No" votes in the lead.

-- The GBP/USD rose to as high as 1.6525 during early Asian trades, its highest since 2 September, and from its previous close of 1.6397.

-- The first areas to declare their vote in the Scottish Independence referendum have said 'No' to leaving the UK, as the historic voting have taken place in Scotland that might change UK's more than 300-year-old history forever.

Watch Scottish Referendum Results Live: How to Follow Voting Information; Best Sites, Twitter Accounts to Get Latest

The overall voter turnout was a staggering 86.78%.

Here are some of the preliminary results declared by some of the areas.

Clackmannanshire – NO gets 19,036 votes and Yes gets 16,350 with an 89% turnout.

Inverclyde – 50.08% 'No' and 49.92% 'Yes'

Orkney Islands – 67.20% 'No' and 32.80% 'Yes'

Shetland Islands – 63.71% 'No' and 36.29% 'Yes'

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar – 53.42% 'No' and 46.58% 'Yes'

Dundee City – This area becomes the first to say 'Yes' with 57.35% agreeing to separate from Scotland. 42.62% have said 'No'.

Falkrik – 'NO' wins by 53%. 'Yes' gets 47%.

Here are other key developments that have occurred over the past 24 hours as the referendum began:

• The Queen will make a written statement on Friday afternoon, after the result has been confirmed
• Prime Minister David Cameron will respond to Scotland's decision in a televised address following the announcement of final results
• Police are investigating allegations of electoral fraud relating to 10 ballot papers in Glasgow
• The counting in Dundee was briefly suspended due to a fire alarm
• According to YouGov Scottish referendum poll prediction, "No" campaign will win with a 54 percent majority. The poll was made on the responses of 1,828 people along with 800 who had already cast their vote by post, taken after they voted on Thursday.

Scotland has voted to stay in the United Kingdom after voters overwhelmingly said 'No' to independence on Thursday.

Until earlier on Friday, 31 out of the country's 32 council areas declared their voting results. The 'No' side has an almost landslide lead of 1,914, 187 votes to 1,539,920.

The United Kingdom woke up to a mathematical certainty at around 6 am local time that the No vote would win, as the returning officer in Fife announced a comfortable No vote. Soon Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond said he accepted the defeat and called for national unity.

"The unionist parties made vows late in the campaign to devolve more powers to Scotland," he told he supporters.

"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."

Meanwhile, PM David Cameron has now promised for a UK-wide change in order to "build better future" adding that he was delighted by the result.