Just over 55% voted against Scotland breaking away from the United Kingdom, while nearly 45% voted in favour of independence in the historic referendum.
"For me, as leader, my time is nearly over but for Scotland the campaign continues and the dream will never die," Mr Salmond told reporters in Edinburgh.
He said he would not accept the nomination as leader of the party at an annual conference in November and that he would then resign as First Minister.
"I think that party, parliament and country would benefit from new leadership," he said at a press conference.
He added that it had been "the privilege of my life" to serve as head of the Scottish regional government.
Earlier, he called on the leaders of the three main pro-union parties to live up to the promises of further devolution.
He said he accepted "the democratic verdict of the people of Scotland".
He added: "It is important to say that our referendum was an agreed and consented process and Scotland has by a majority decided not at this stage to become an independent country."
Better Together campaign leader Alistair Darling said the referendum result was a "momentous day not only for Scotland but for the United Kingdom as a whole".
He said Scotland had "chosen unity over division and positive change over needless separation".
Attention is now turning to the further powers promised by the British government.
British Prime Minister David Cameron said the draft laws to give Scotland more powers will be published by January.
Speaking at Downing Street this morning, Mr Cameron said it was right to give Scots their say but that the debate has been settled for a generation.
He promised to give Scotland more powers "in the next parliament", but he wants English MPs to have their say over English tax, welfare and spending decisions.
He said it is time for the United Kingdom to come together and move forward...................http://www.rte.ie/news/2014/0919/644830-scotland-reaction/
19/9/14
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Référendum écossais: Alex Salmond démissionne après la victoire du "non"...
ReplyDeleteLe leader indépendantiste Alex Salmond a annoncé vendredi qu'il allait démissionner de son poste de Premier ministre d'Ecosse et de la tête du parti national écossais SNP, quelques heures après la large défaite du oui à l'indépendance au référendum d'auto-détermination.
"J'ai dit au secrétaire national du SNP que je ne me représenterais pas à la tête du parti lors de la conférence annuelle", du 13 au 15 novembre, "et que je démissionnerai de mon poste de Premier ministre", a déclaré Alex Salmond lors d'une conférence de presse à Edimbourg.
"Jusqu'à cette date je vais continuer à servir mon mandat", a-t-il ajouté en précisant qu'il comptait ensuite retrouver les bancs de l'Assemblée écossaise en tant que député d'Aberdeenshire East.................http://www.rtbf.be/info/monde/detail_referendum-ecossais-alex-salmond-demissionne-apres-la-victoire-du-non?id=8359673
19/9/14
Scozia, tensione a Glasgow tra unionisti e indipendentisti...
ReplyDeleteLa polizia è intervenuta per sedare le ostilità tra un piccolo gruppo di sostenitori dell'indipendenza e un gruppo di skinhead a favore dell'unione. I due gruppi inizialmente hanno cantato due cori, Flower of Scotland gli indipendentisti e Rule Britannia gli unionisti. Con il passare della serata, però, altri sostenitori - molti dei quali giovani e ubriachi - del Regno Unito hanno raggiunto George Square, la piazza dove si trovavano i due gruppi, sventolando la Union Jack, la bandiera della Gran Bretagna. A un certo punto alcuni unionisti hanno sfondato i cordoni della polizia intonando Rule britannia e gridando insulti razzisti, mentre alcuni hanno fatto anche il saluto nazista.
La polizia ha tentato di contenere la folla e sono stati gettati alcuni razzi. Sam Tonks, un ingegnere che si trovava in città per festeggiare la vittoria nel referendum, ha detto al Guardian: "Ad essere sincero la città è già divisa sulla religione, credo che la sfida del referendum sia solo una scusa per scontrarsi". La polizia, nelle prime ore della mattinata, ha ruferito che "sei persone sono state arrestate finora in relazione all'incidente in George Square e saranno svolte delle indagini che potrebbero portare ad ulteriori arresti".
http://www.ilgiornale.it/news/scozia-tensione-galsgow-unionisti-e-indipendentisti-1053359.html
20/9/14
Scotland's foreign minister: Independence is just a matter of time...
ReplyDeleteWhen asked whether Scotland might still achieve independence someday its foreign minister sounds optimistic, adamant, and a little like Rene Levesque.
In reacting to an initial Quebec referendum defeat in 1980, the first words uttered by the Parti Quebecois founder, forcing a smile as he addressed a cheering crowd, were, "If I've understood you correctly, what you're telling me is, 'It'll be next time."'
Fast-forward to modern-day Scotland, and the cabinet secretary there for culture and external affairs is equally resolute about the fate of her homeland.
"I know that the solution for Scotland will be independence," Fiona Hyslop said in an interview with The Canadian Press. "I expect that will come at some point.
"The issue is not, 'If.' It's just a case of, 'When."'
Members of her Scottish National Party are suggesting that the, "When," might not be for another generation, after their 10-percentage-point loss in Thursday's independence referendum...............http://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/scotland-s-foreign-minister-independence-is-just-a-matter-of-time-1.2016373#ixzz3DriXDdl7
20/9/14