After vote to stay in UK, Scots must heal divide

Associated Press

EDINBURGH, Scotland

After a long night that brought floods of relief for some and bitter disappointment for others, Scotland awoke with a hangover Friday after voting to reject independence.

Now, the task was to heal the divide — and use the energy the referendum unleashed to hold London politicians to promises of more powers for Scotland.

The result — 55 percent to 45 percent — was more decisive than pollsters had foreseen and prompted Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond, who led the unsuccessful Yes campaign, to resign.

But it meant almost half of Scotland’s more than 5 million people woke up in a country, the United Kingdom, that they wished to leave.

Queen Elizabeth II, who has kept out of the political debate, said Friday that “all of us throughout the United Kingdom will respect” the result.

In a statement from her Scottish home at Balmoral castle, the monarch said “despite the range of views that have been expressed, we have in common an enduring love of Scotland, which is one of the things that help to unite us all.”

Still, Yes supporters have first to get over their bitter disappointment.

“This time, I thought my vote would count for something,” said truck driver Calum Noble, 25, his voice cracking with emotion as a drizzly mist enveloped the Scottish city of Glasgow.