Was it the manner of the defeat?

[Cameron1875]

I understand emotions are running high but just wondering what people's thoughts are on this

The polls and bookies basically predicted a no win all the way to the death so it wasn't such a great shock that NO won.

But the momentum of Yes seemed to have led to people thinking it would maybe be 48-52, 49-51 or even a YES win.

Are people raging just because Scotland voted no? or is it due to such heavily losses in places such as Falkirk, Stirling that has rankled with folk?

Personally I couldn't believe the cuffings we took in areas we were looking to win. Terrible day for Scotland!

[DeeTillEhDeh]

I think it's the fact that this was a rejection not just in some key council areas but generally across the country.

I expected them to win a lot more council areas than they did. 4 out of 31 councils was the real surprise.

[Todders]

I'd have been just as gutted if we lost by 5% minus 1 vote. The end result is identical.

[dorlomin]

I had assumed that if the kind of people I knew from Glasgow, Bellshill, Motherwell were voting yes, then the SNP heartlands must be a landslide yes. Who would have guessed that weegies are more patriotic than yer Perthershire\Aberdonian\Clackmannan types.

[Happy Buddie]

What shocked me was the depth of rejection from Orkney and Shetland, am I being paranoid in thinking that's because there are a lot of "foreign" accents up there due to high South-Eastern England property prices? Obviously the Dumfries and Borders results are due to their proximity to England and, I also suspect, farming communities being addicted to the current subsidy culture. If you were to lay late70s - late 80s general election voting patterns over last night's vote I think there would be a strong correlation, i.e. those who used to vote Conservative and Liberal decided to maintain the Union.

[Mastermind]

I think its the manner of the victory that has rattled the Yes campaign.

For months, even years, the polls told us that the Union would win hands down, and certainly the gap closed significantly as the referendum neared and the people became engaged in the debate.

The turning point for me was the one, single poll which had Salmond in front, soon after the second debate. The Yes campaign really thought they had a chance, and from that point on they changed slightly, denouncing anything or anyone that dared to come out in favour of Better Together. The protest at the BBC was hilarious for example.

I think they genuinely felt they had a chance right at the death, but the results are in and it was a bigger pumping that anyone expected, and now the seethe has begun.

A lot of tear-stained Yes window posters getting taken down today.

[dorlomin]

Obviously the Dumfries and Borders results are due to their proximity to England and, I also suspect, farming communities being addicted to the current subsidy culture.

I suspect that income\urbanisation\age were the most likely variables in yes\no rather then proximity to England. Low urbanisation\relatively high income would be big Nos.

[madwullie]

I suspect that income\urbanisation\age were the most likely variables in yes\no rather then proximity to England. Low urbanisation\relatively high income would be big Nos.

This is clearly the case IMO.

Glasgow, West Dunbartonshire, Dundee and God's Country are all well known as economic shitholes. In the main, poor places voted yes, rich places voted no.

[H_B]

What shocked me was the depth of rejection from Orkney and Shetland,

It shouldn't have. That was always going to be the case even if Yes had won overall.

[DeeTillEhDeh]

This is clearly the case IMO.

Glasgow, West Dunbartonshire, Dundee and God's Country are all well known as economic shitholes. In the main, poor places voted yes, rich places voted no.

Depends what you class as "rich" though. Dundee along with Glasgow has some of the highest levels of social deprivation - yet both still had No votes at 43% and 47% respectively.

[G-MAN]

This is clearly the case IMO.

Glasgow, West Dunbartonshire, Dundee and God's Country are all well known as economic shitholes. In the main, poor places voted yes, rich places voted no.

Correct in a way. Some No voters thought of themselves and themselves only.

Im from Dumfries, live in Glasgow and on a high income. Voted Yes in the hope it would change the lives of others, and proud of that.

[Wee Bully]

I am devastated by the result, but I'm not devastated by the "manner" of the defeat at all. .

We have gone from a core theoretical support for independence of 30-35%, to an actual vote of 45%. That is an enormous stride forward.

The real question is how many people were persuaded by the "vow", and what happens if it isn't followed through. As a nationalist who was also a gradualist, more powers should now be forthcoming which wouldn't otherwise have been the case. Although not on the table yet, Devo Max is the next step, and it is great to hear proper federalism being discussed.

We are living in a country which is more politically engaged and politically aware than ever before. Let's not let that go.

[Baxter Parp]

I think its the manner of the victory that has rattled the Yes campaign.

For months, even years, the polls told us that the Union would win hands down, and certainly the gap closed significantly as the referendum neared and the people became engaged in the debate.

The turning point for me was the one, single poll which had Salmond in front, soon after the second debate. The Yes campaign really thought they had a chance, and from that point on they changed slightly, denouncing anything or anyone that dared to come out in favour of Better Together. The protest at the BBC was hilarious for example.

I think they genuinely felt they had a chance right at the death, but the results are in and it was a bigger pumping that anyone expected, and now the seethe has begun.

A lot of tear-stained Yes window posters getting taken down today.

The protests at the BBC started long before that poll. As soon as it emerged that the BBC were massively biased, actually.

[Crùbag]

A sad day.

A win for fear, corporate interests, media bias and the millionaires of London.

Is there any point in voting at all now if we don't have complete control of our destiny? England is moving more to the right and will probably take us out of the EU.

It's telling that there are no parties on the streets.

[dorlomin]

The catastrophic lack of post Yes economic plan played a big role. Cannot blame the voters for that. It was asking people to vote for hope and vapour.

[madwullie]

Depends what you class as "rich" though. Dundee along with Glasgow has some of the highest levels of social deprivation - yet both still had No votes at 43% and 47% respectively.

Yeah I know, that's why I said "in the main" - obviously there are a lot of other factors at play, but I don't think it's ridiculous to suggest that many many people in deprived areas saw this as their best chance of improving their lot, even to the extent of ditching their long standing allegiances to Labour. It would explain dorlomin's point above too as to why the SNP "heartlands" shied away from yes despite their political allegiances

[H_B]

England is moving more to the right and will probably take us out of the EU.

The chance of the UK leaving the EU is fantastically small.

Any referendum (which wont happen anyway) would be even more one-sided than this one.

[Granny Danger]

A sad day.

A win for fear, corporate interests, media bias and the millionaires of London.

Is there any point in voting at all now if we don't have complete control of our destiny? England is moving more to the right and will probably take us out of the EU.

It's telling that there are no parties on the streets.

That is the one position we cannot adopt now. If we do the NO voters have not only won the battle they will also have won the war. Sorry for the cliche but I think it is the most eloquent way i can express it.

[Im_Rodger]

Are yes voters ready to change their profile pics yet??

[Newbornbairn]

This is clearly the case IMO.

Glasgow, West Dunbartonshire, Dundee and God's Country are all well known as economic shitholes. In the main, poor places voted yes, rich places voted no.

Correct in a way. Some No voters thought of themselves and themselves only.

Im from Dumfries, live in Glasgow and on a high income. Voted Yes in the hope it would change the lives of others, and proud of that.

Ok, this is necessarily a massive generalisation but folk in poorer urban areas with no job or lousy jobs on minimum wage, living in cramped rented accommodation had nothing to lose. They would also be generally of a younger demographic and less risk averse. Essentially the Yes vote in these areas was the epitome of the selfish votes - these people wanted their lives improved, now. That's not a criticism, it's a fair aspiration.

The older rural generation, living in more expensive properties and in better jobs had a lot to lose. They also had real responsibilities to existing children and grandchildren living now (not imagined offspring sometime in the future). They also had the experience of living through multiple electons and hearing hundreds of politicians spout shit repeatedly. They're less likely to have been swept along by the social media hysteria that was self-affirming a lot of people (incluing lots on here) leading them to have unrealistic expectations.