:00:00. > 3:59:59But for Scotland, the campaign continues. The dream shall never
:00:00. > :00:16.die. The First Minister Alex Salmond has
:00:17. > :00:23.resigned after losing the referendum vote. For me, my time as leader is
:00:24. > :00:28.nearly over. But for Scotland, the campaign continues and the dream
:00:29. > :00:32.shall never die. Mr Salmond says he will stand down after the SNP
:00:33. > :00:36.conference. We will assess what it means for the country and we will
:00:37. > :00:41.look back at his career. The shop decision came as the no campaign
:00:42. > :00:48.celebrated victory. -- shock decision. The three pro-union
:00:49. > :00:54.parties have made clear commitments on further powers for the Scottish
:00:55. > :01:01.parliament. We will ensure that those commitments are honoured in
:01:02. > :01:06.full. We would be looking back on an extraordinary night, as independence
:01:07. > :01:10.supporters continue to party with defiance. We will assess how this
:01:11. > :01:16.huge turnout affects the future of all of Scotland. We had a balanced
:01:17. > :01:30.debate, we would have won. Such a sad missed opportunity.
:01:31. > :01:36.Scotland is to stay in the United Kingdom.
:01:37. > :01:40.Alex Salmond is to go as the country's First Minister.
:01:41. > :01:43.Mr Salmond made the announcement of his resignation as First
:01:44. > :01:45.Minister and as SNP leader late this afternoon, saying the party
:01:46. > :01:51.In the wake of last night's vote, the question now is where does
:01:52. > :01:56.The Prime Minister David Cameron has pledged to honour
:01:57. > :01:59.the promises made for constitutional change but there is already
:02:00. > :02:04.Over the next hour, we'll bring you the latest developments
:02:05. > :02:07.in this changing story, but first Glenn Campbell reports on
:02:08. > :02:21.He led his party, his government and his country to the point of decision
:02:22. > :02:25.on independence. And within 12 hours of losing the referendum, Alex
:02:26. > :02:31.Salmond decided it was time for someone else to take over at the top
:02:32. > :02:38.of the SNP and as First Minister. I believe this is a new exciting
:02:39. > :02:43.situation redolent with possibility. But in that situation, I think that
:02:44. > :02:48.party, parliament and country would benefit from new leadership. He will
:02:49. > :02:52.trigger an SNP leadership conference at the party conference in November
:02:53. > :02:57.and will resign when a new leader has been elected. -- SNP leadership
:02:58. > :03:03.vote. It has been the privilege of my life to serve as First Minister.
:03:04. > :03:08.But this is a process that is not about me, the SNP or any other
:03:09. > :03:13.political party, it's much more important than that. The position is
:03:14. > :03:16.this. We lost the referendum vote, but Scotland can still carry the
:03:17. > :03:25.political initiative. Scotland can still emerge as the real winner. For
:03:26. > :03:30.me as leader, my time is nearly over. But for Scotland, the campaign
:03:31. > :03:37.continues and the dream shall never die. No, 139,788.
:03:38. > :03:46.CHEERING AND APPLAUSE It was this referendum result in
:03:47. > :03:51.Fife which put a yes vote he and reach and Mr Salmond's lifelong
:03:52. > :03:53.dream of referendum independence was locked away for at least a
:03:54. > :03:58.generation. This SNP minister hoped he would
:03:59. > :04:01.stay. We are so lucky to have the most popular First Minister we have
:04:02. > :04:06.ever had. He remains the most popular politician in Scotland.
:04:07. > :04:14.There is a job of work to do... You would want him to stay? Absolutely.
:04:15. > :04:18.He is not tipping a successor, but Nicola Sturgeon is the favourite.
:04:19. > :04:23.She said she owes him an immeasurable debt of gratitude. Alex
:04:24. > :04:27.Salmond was elected leader in 1990, he quit a decade later having led
:04:28. > :04:32.his party into opposition in the new Scottish parliament. There would be,
:04:33. > :04:37.he said, no return to the front line. If nominated, I will decline.
:04:38. > :04:44.If drafted, I will defer. If elected, I will resign. But in 2005,
:04:45. > :04:49.he became leader for a second time following the resignation of John
:04:50. > :04:53.Swinney. He took his party into power for the first time, he has
:04:54. > :04:59.dominated politics in the decade since and tonight his rivals paid
:05:00. > :05:02.tribute. Alex Salmond has been a formidable front line politician.
:05:03. > :05:07.Whatever our disagreements, he has always spoken his mind and stood up
:05:08. > :05:10.for what he believed in. If he thinks it is right, it is the right
:05:11. > :05:14.decision. Party leaders always know when they should go, they don't
:05:15. > :05:24.always admit it to themselves. David Cameron said:
:05:25. > :05:30.Near parliament in Edinburgh, reflections from the public. A bit
:05:31. > :05:36.of a shock, I thought he would take longer. I think Nicola Sturgeon is
:05:37. > :05:40.becoming person in the party. When I heard he had resigned, I was very,
:05:41. > :05:45.very sad but I think he will go down as one of the great Scots in
:05:46. > :05:50.history. He is quite a divisive figure, but I think people who lead
:05:51. > :05:53.often are. He has certainly led from the front. It has been an
:05:54. > :05:58.extraordinary career and it is not over yet. But when Alex Salmond does
:05:59. > :06:12.stand down, he will know his place in Scotland's story is secure. The
:06:13. > :06:16.Queen has said: It as a result all of us throughout the United Kingdom
:06:17. > :06:19.will respect. There will be strong feeling and contrasting emotions
:06:20. > :06:23.among family, friends and neighbours. She goes on to say that
:06:24. > :06:26.she has no doubt that these emotions will be tempered by understanding of
:06:27. > :06:30.the feeling of others, and that we should remember that despite the
:06:31. > :06:34.range of views expressed, we have in common and enduring love of
:06:35. > :06:37.Scotland. That is one of the things that helps unite us all.
:06:38. > :06:39.Our political editor Brian Taylor is live at Bute House tonight,
:06:40. > :06:45.the official residence of the First Minister.
:06:46. > :06:49.Those lines from the Queen, I don't think I have ever heard such strong
:06:50. > :06:58.sentiment made public from Her Majesty. No, and at some length as
:06:59. > :07:01.well. It's a statement from the palace, of course, urging unity on
:07:02. > :07:08.the one hand, and offering the role of the Royal Family to encourage and
:07:09. > :07:13.cajole towards that unity. Of all the organisations of state, the
:07:14. > :07:17.Palace, the monarchy seems to me to have got the concept of devolution
:07:18. > :07:22.most clearly. The Queen stayed neutral, although there was a hint
:07:23. > :07:27.when she advised people to think carefully about the decision, but
:07:28. > :07:33.this is a statement urging unity across the nations of the UK. You
:07:34. > :07:37.are outside the First Minister's official residence, you know him
:07:38. > :07:41.very well, you were there for his statement this afternoon. What was
:07:42. > :07:48.the thinking behind his decision? Two things. I think that personally
:07:49. > :07:53.and politically he has been leader for 20 years, with an interregnum of
:07:54. > :07:57.four years, so a quarter of a century either at the top or
:07:58. > :08:01.standing down from it. As he said himself, rather a good shift at the
:08:02. > :08:07.coal face. Secondly, political strategy. Mr Salmond is aware that
:08:08. > :08:10.this was a good result for independence, better than they have
:08:11. > :08:14.achieved in the past, it was an energetic campaign that managed to
:08:15. > :08:18.bring the people into play as well, but it was still a defeat. Mr
:08:19. > :08:23.Salmond knows that he is therefore, regardless of those caveats,
:08:24. > :08:25.associated with defeat. And he believes the momentum to drive
:08:26. > :08:29.forward the change he thinks Scotland needs to take it from base
:08:30. > :08:34.camp to the summit, as he described it himself, is now better than with
:08:35. > :08:40.other individuals. There is a piper playing across the road here outside
:08:41. > :08:44.Bute House. He says he is playing a lament for Alex Salmond. Thank you,
:08:45. > :08:45.we will be joining you later in the programme to discuss Alex Salmond's
:08:46. > :08:48.legacy. So, an historic vote -
:08:49. > :08:51.55% to 45%. A record-breaking night with
:08:52. > :08:54.a turnout of 85%, that's more than 3,600,000
:08:55. > :09:09.casting their votes. It was a long night at the end of
:09:10. > :09:11.two years of campaigning. Yes, 114,148.
:09:12. > :09:20.APPLAUSE No, 130 9000, 788.
:09:21. > :09:32.CHEERING AND APPLAUSE Confirmation of the referendum
:09:33. > :09:35.result in the early hours. 140,000 voters in Fife would take
:09:36. > :09:41.the no support across the finishing line. Yes campaigners had already
:09:42. > :09:45.accepted it. But even in defeat they want political change was
:09:46. > :09:49.inevitable. Over 1 million people voting for independence, many of
:09:50. > :09:51.those will have voted no to independence because they believe
:09:52. > :09:56.that would deliver substantially more powers for the Scottish
:09:57. > :09:59.parliament, there is a big appetite for substantial change. We are
:10:00. > :10:03.emphatically not seeing tonight any kind of endorsement of the status
:10:04. > :10:08.quo. In Westminster, the Prime Minister announced powers would be
:10:09. > :10:13.devolved to all for UK nations to this tame -- to the same time scale
:10:14. > :10:17.as that offered to Scotland. Lord Smith of Kelvin, who so successfully
:10:18. > :10:20.led Glasgow's Commonwealth Games, has agreed to oversee the process to
:10:21. > :10:27.take forward these devolution commitments, with powers over tax,
:10:28. > :10:31.spending and welfare, all agreed by November, and draft legislation
:10:32. > :10:34.published by January. Just as the people of Scotland will have more
:10:35. > :10:39.power over their affairs, so it follows that the people of England,
:10:40. > :10:45.Wales and Northern Ireland must have a bigger say over theirs. This
:10:46. > :10:48.announcement followed a long night where it took several hours before
:10:49. > :10:58.the picture became clear. The first declarations were in small council
:10:59. > :11:02.areas, the Western Isles result. It meant there was still no
:11:03. > :11:06.breakthrough for the yes side. The face of the campaign's chairman
:11:07. > :11:10.appeared to say it all. On the streets of Glasgow, though, the
:11:11. > :11:14.losing streak didn't dampen the party atmosphere. Hundreds crowded
:11:15. > :11:18.into George Square to mark an important day in Scottish history.
:11:19. > :11:26.The spirits here were nothing but high. Yes, 53,620. Dundee was the
:11:27. > :11:35.first area to go yes. It was decisive and it made the race neck
:11:36. > :11:40.and neck. Yes, 33,720. For a full five minutes, the glum faces were
:11:41. > :11:45.gone, yes was ahead with 50.2%. It was a lead which would crumble, to
:11:46. > :11:50.steal the final moment of the chief accounting officer's duties. In
:11:51. > :11:53.response to the referendum question, should Scotland be an
:11:54. > :11:54.independent country, we are in favour of no.
:11:55. > :12:04.CHEERING AND APPLAUSE But the story was far from over.
:12:05. > :12:08.Concord between the Westminster parties of more devolution has
:12:09. > :12:13.already come under threat. What you can't do, I think, is come up with a
:12:14. > :12:19.solution that has loads of Scottish MPs hanging around, still nominally
:12:20. > :12:22.representing Scotland, but not able to vote on any matters that affect
:12:23. > :12:28.Scotland, but only on things that affect England, which is not their
:12:29. > :12:33.area of representation. That is a problem that has got to be sorted
:12:34. > :12:36.out. It had been a long night, but it will be some time yet before the
:12:37. > :12:41.political future of Scotland becomes clear.
:12:42. > :12:44.I'm joined now by the Finance Secretary John Swinney, who was
:12:45. > :12:58.Did you know Alex Salmond was going to resign? I knew this morning when
:12:59. > :13:04.he told me he was going to do that. Any inclination before that? No.
:13:05. > :13:09.Alex was giving the referendum everything he had to give. We fought
:13:10. > :13:13.a tremendous campaign. Alex gave the most astonishing contribution,
:13:14. > :13:18.leading us into that referendum and delivering the result which I am
:13:19. > :13:21.very proud of, 1.6 million people voting for independence in the
:13:22. > :13:26.referendum yesterday. It wasn't enough to win, and I am hurting
:13:27. > :13:30.about that today, but he got us to a great place in terms of the support
:13:31. > :13:33.we attracted. In the aftermath of that, he thought about what was the
:13:34. > :13:37.right thing to do and he decided today to step down. We respect him
:13:38. > :13:42.for that decision, and I certainly want to make clear on behalf of his
:13:43. > :13:45.parliamentary colleagues and the party membership how deeply profound
:13:46. > :13:50.our gratitude is for the way he has led us over the last ten years. Was
:13:51. > :13:56.it accepted within the inner circles of the party that if it was a no
:13:57. > :14:00.vote, he would have to go? No, that was not in anyway discussed. Alex
:14:01. > :14:05.has decided. He has led the party not once over ten years, he has done
:14:06. > :14:10.it twice. I led the SNP for four years, it is not a key party, it is
:14:11. > :14:15.immensely demanding. When he came to see me tell me that he was going to
:14:16. > :14:20.be my successor, I said, look, are you sure? -- it is not aid the
:14:21. > :14:25.party. It is an awesome task to become a party leader twice. Awesome
:14:26. > :14:29.achievements are what you think of when you think of Alex Salmond.
:14:30. > :14:32.Nobody thought we could become the government and we did. Nobody
:14:33. > :14:35.thought you could win a majority in our Parliament and we did. Most
:14:36. > :14:40.people thought we couldn't actually managed to hold a referendum and we
:14:41. > :14:47.did, with an 85% turnout in a great democratic triumph. I think awesome
:14:48. > :14:51.is the assessment I would put on the achievements of Alex Salmond. The
:14:52. > :14:54.suggestion is that his going paves the way for another referendum in
:14:55. > :14:58.the not too distant future, because it was his pledge that it wouldn't
:14:59. > :15:04.happen for a generation, not the new leader, whoever he or she might be.
:15:05. > :15:08.I said during the referendum campaign, and Alex and various other
:15:09. > :15:11.members of the party said, Nicola Sturgeon as well, that the
:15:12. > :15:14.referendum was a once in a generation opportunity and I don't
:15:15. > :15:18.think anyone would expect the day after the referendum to say, oh, we
:15:19. > :15:22.have suddenly changed our minds. It is a once in a generation issue.
:15:23. > :15:26.What we are focused on now, we have made it clear on the First Minister
:15:27. > :15:29.made it clear to the Prime Minister this morning, that we will work to
:15:30. > :15:33.make sure the commitments that were made during the referendum of
:15:34. > :15:38.additional powers for the Scottish Parliament, pledges made solemnly by
:15:39. > :15:42.the three UK party leaders, which in my view have affected the outcome,
:15:43. > :15:46.it persuaded some people who were going to vote yes to vote no
:15:47. > :15:50.instead, because they were told to vote no and they will get more
:15:51. > :15:52.powers... These have to be delivered in the timescale agreed. Thank you
:15:53. > :16:00.very much. Lots of reaction in Westminster to
:16:01. > :16:04.the resignation of the First Minister and the no vote. David
:16:05. > :16:10.Porter, what is being said there tonight? An extraordinary 24-hour is
:16:11. > :16:12.in UK and Scottish politics. This time yesterday, there were many
:16:13. > :16:16.people in the building behind me who were not sure how the result would
:16:17. > :16:21.go. They thought maybe the yes campaign would win, that the UK as
:16:22. > :16:24.we know it would dissolve. And that David Cameron could well be calling
:16:25. > :16:33.in the removal men, because he would have been the Prime Minister who
:16:34. > :16:36.lost the union. Instead, it went far better for the no campaign than many
:16:37. > :16:38.of them thought. And instead, it is the leader of the yes campaign, Alex
:16:39. > :16:42.Salmond, tonight saying he is going to stand down. David Cameron came
:16:43. > :16:47.out of this building at seven o'clock and gave a lengthy detailed
:16:48. > :16:50.and quite comprehensive statement about how he wants to take
:16:51. > :16:55.constitutional reform forward, more powers for Scotland but also more
:16:56. > :16:59.powers for Wales and Northern Ireland, and crucially for England.
:17:00. > :17:04.He also said he wants to link those, link them to reducing the power of
:17:05. > :17:07.Scottish MPs, to address the so-called West Lothian question.
:17:08. > :17:15.Tonight in Downing Street, they are perhaps sleeping a lot more soundly
:17:16. > :17:19.than last night. Thank you, David. As we have seen over the last few
:17:20. > :17:22.weeks, Scots have been engaged in this referendum debate in a way
:17:23. > :17:26.seldom seen before. We have heard from politicians and campaigners,
:17:27. > :17:29.but now a report on how the people of Scotland have reacted to the
:17:30. > :17:45.result and the First Minister's resignation. Such was the passion in
:17:46. > :17:54.this campaign, today was always going to be painful for the side
:17:55. > :17:59.that lost. I cannot believe so many people voted against our country
:18:00. > :18:04.being a country. Control of our own affairs, it was on a plate for us,
:18:05. > :18:14.we should have had it. For many no supporters, it was an end to weeks
:18:15. > :18:23.of anxiety. Obviously, hoping that we would win. It is more of a relief
:18:24. > :18:29.situation, rather than, oh, dear, what is going to happen from now on?
:18:30. > :18:33.In a city which voted yes, George Square in Glasgow was a rallying
:18:34. > :18:35.point for supporters of independence. This morning, the
:18:36. > :18:43.result was too much for some to bear. Decisions which were meant for
:18:44. > :18:47.Scotland, to be made in Scotland... I am really disappointed, I
:18:48. > :18:51.genuinely thought it would be a yes. Because it is a no, I hope that we
:18:52. > :18:56.get more powers, and I hope that stuff happens. Then came the news
:18:57. > :19:02.this afternoon that Alex Salmond was to resign. Really deeply saddened. I
:19:03. > :19:07.knew it was going to happen, but for it to happen so quickly, just like
:19:08. > :19:13.that, I am really, really ashamed that Scotland has pushed him to
:19:14. > :19:18.that. Absolutely devastated. I love that man. He has retired once and
:19:19. > :19:23.come back to help Scotland out, and I think he has maybe gone as far as
:19:24. > :19:30.he can at the moment. He achieved far more than anybody expected. The
:19:31. > :19:36.fact that Glasgow won... It has been a tough 12 hours for yes supporters,
:19:37. > :19:40.but there is a feeling that something has been gained. The
:19:41. > :19:44.winner is social democracy, no question about it. It is the
:19:45. > :19:49.politics of the people, as opposed to the politics of the
:19:50. > :19:52.parliamentarians. I think the political establishment of
:19:53. > :19:58.Westminster has really come under severe scrutiny. In the end, the
:19:59. > :20:03.silent majority made their voice heard, and this was their time to
:20:04. > :20:05.celebrate. I think the right decision was made, and I think
:20:06. > :20:11.Britain will never be the same again. I think we need to doff our
:20:12. > :20:15.hats to Alex Salmond for transforming Britain for the better.
:20:16. > :20:20.Today has brought a sense of relief for no voters, but the yes campaign
:20:21. > :20:34.has lost a leader, and has been left wondering where this decision will
:20:35. > :20:39.take them now. News is coming into us of some scuffles in George Square
:20:40. > :20:48.in Glasgow. We have this report which has just come in come in. I
:20:49. > :20:52.would say that for most of the day, it was fairly peaceful, occasionally
:20:53. > :20:55.getting tense. About ten minutes ago, there was a change in
:20:56. > :21:00.atmosphere, and you can see a lot more union flags having come out. I
:21:01. > :21:04.would suggest there is a Loyalist element came into the square, a lot
:21:05. > :21:12.of people started leaving. A short time ago, flares were fired, the
:21:13. > :21:18.union flags over there, they charged right into the crowd. It got a bit
:21:19. > :21:22.nasty for a while. Running scuffles. The police have now moved in and
:21:23. > :21:36.separated the crowd. Definite change in atmosphere. As I say, it was a
:21:37. > :21:41.very specific change in atmosphere. It happened very, very quickly.
:21:42. > :21:47.There was a lot of cheering of rule Britannia, and then the flares went
:21:48. > :21:49.off, and vehicles came in, and I would say these loyalist elements
:21:50. > :21:53.came in from both sides of the square. We got a sense that it was
:21:54. > :21:59.almost quite well planned. Most of the day, there had been the elements
:22:00. > :22:05.of the yes campaign had been parked down here. But as I say, it happened
:22:06. > :22:11.very, very quickly, a big change in atmosphere. But the police seem to
:22:12. > :22:23.have separated both groups, and there seems to be an element of calm
:22:24. > :22:28.now. I enjoy and now by the leader of the Scottish Labour Party, Johann
:22:29. > :22:33.Lamont, and also by Ruth Davidson. We do not want to see those scenes?
:22:34. > :22:38.Absolutely not. Right through this process, we have hoped that we could
:22:39. > :22:42.have an open and honest conversation amongst Scots. It was a decision for
:22:43. > :22:45.Scots, and we have come to it. But that feels more like a football
:22:46. > :22:50.crowd gone wrong than anything else. I just hope that they can
:22:51. > :22:54.restore order as soon as possible. There is no need for that, we have
:22:55. > :22:58.had the biggest, broadest conversation in Scotland's political
:22:59. > :23:02.history. We had a record turnout, the people of Scotland have had a
:23:03. > :23:09.chance to have their say. We do not want seems like that on our streets.
:23:10. > :23:14.Alex Salmond - did he have to go? I do not think he had to go. I was
:23:15. > :23:19.surprised when I heard it, and then it kind of made sense. If he was
:23:20. > :23:23.going to go, maybe this was a logical time. He has been driving
:23:24. > :23:27.all through his life to the point where they was a referendum. Instead
:23:28. > :23:31.of Scotland historically having been put into this union, has now
:23:32. > :23:37.democratically affirmed that it wants to stay as part of a United
:23:38. > :23:40.Kingdom. That feels like a pause in the Scottish story and you can
:23:41. > :23:44.understand why he has decided to step back. I cannot imagine what it
:23:45. > :23:49.is like to be First Minister, but it must be immense personal pressure on
:23:50. > :23:53.him, and this seems a sensible time. You criticised the tone of his
:23:54. > :23:58.speech when he was conceding defeat this morning. You said you should be
:23:59. > :24:02.proud of his career and not allow the manner of its ending to dominate
:24:03. > :24:07.his feeling. I felt, and I could almost forgive him, at a point where
:24:08. > :24:11.he had got to the point where it was on the ballot paper, and so many
:24:12. > :24:14.people had been involved, I felt there was something in the way that
:24:15. > :24:19.he spoke that did not recognise the need for everybody to come
:24:20. > :24:22.together, both sides. We all love Scotland and we want the best for
:24:23. > :24:27.Scotland. I felt that he stepped back and spoke to his own people
:24:28. > :24:32.about the journey for independence. But I think the journey for us in
:24:33. > :24:37.the next period is to say, how do we find the things that we can agree on
:24:38. > :24:41.in that Scottish Parliament, can we have the conversation about how we
:24:42. > :24:46.use the powers we have got to make a difference to people's lives? I
:24:47. > :24:50.think that was what drove a lot of the thinking and the conversation
:24:51. > :24:54.over the last period. As he went he was accusing the unionist parties of
:24:55. > :24:59.going back on the promise for more powers for Holyrood? I think he was
:25:00. > :25:04.slightly mistaken in that. We published quite upfront what this
:25:05. > :25:09.plan was, that was signed up. This date of March is not in that. You
:25:10. > :25:13.can go back into your inbox, I am sure you got one as part of the
:25:14. > :25:17.media. It was a very, very clear timetable. There would be
:25:18. > :25:22.legislation on the books, no matter who came in as government in May of
:25:23. > :25:27.next year. There would be legislation on the books, ready to
:25:28. > :25:31.go. That has been reaffirmed by the three Westminster party leaders
:25:32. > :25:42.today. That process is going to happen. Both of you, thank you. We
:25:43. > :25:47.can go to Nick Robinson now. Is there any sense where you are that
:25:48. > :25:51.Westminster is rolling back a little? I do not think they are
:25:52. > :25:54.rolling back. I think the Prime Minister has reiterated the
:25:55. > :26:00.promises. What is happening is that the politics of England is now being
:26:01. > :26:06.fed into the process. It may well clash with the politics of
:26:07. > :26:10.Scotland. Tory MPs in England are now saying, if the Barnett funding
:26:11. > :26:13.formula is to be maintained, actually, we are not happy about
:26:14. > :26:18.that. We do not think that money should go. If Scotland is to have
:26:19. > :26:21.more powers for its parliament, we want more powers either for an
:26:22. > :26:24.English parliament, or some other way of making sure that English
:26:25. > :26:31.votes make English laws at Westminster. It does not necessarily
:26:32. > :26:35.mean there is any intention to a band in the promises, but remember,
:26:36. > :26:38.they have to get it through the Westminster parliament. There are
:26:39. > :26:44.people there who did not sign up to this agreement, do not care about
:26:45. > :26:48.the vow which was made on the front page of the Record, and they will
:26:49. > :26:55.fight for their constituents, just as people in Scotland will fight for
:26:56. > :26:59.their own. We can go to the First Minister's constituency now. Our
:27:00. > :27:06.reporter is there. Alex Salmond has been MSP for
:27:07. > :27:07.Aberdeenshire East since 2007. He has represented the Aberdeenshire
:27:08. > :27:14.area since 1987 in Holyrood and
:27:15. > :27:19.Westminster. He is standing down as SNP leader but staying on as MSP for
:27:20. > :27:27.this area. A short time ago, I spoke to some of his constituents here in
:27:28. > :27:31.Inverurie. I feel very sad to hear that. He has worked so tirelessly in
:27:32. > :27:38.the campaign for independence and I had my him for that. I am sure
:27:39. > :27:42.Nicola Sturgeon will step into his shoes, and again, an excellent
:27:43. > :27:50.leader. I said to my wife, I thought he would perhaps resign in another
:27:51. > :27:52.year's time. Very surprised. He has done a lot for Scotland, no question
:27:53. > :28:05.about it. I am joined now by a friend and
:28:06. > :28:11.colleague of Alex Salmond. Are you surprised? I think Alec always makes
:28:12. > :28:15.decisions quickly. He is a great team builder and team player, and he
:28:16. > :28:19.will be looking at what the decision which the people of Scotland have
:28:20. > :28:22.made in huge numbers means for Scotland. And he will put that at
:28:23. > :28:28.the forefront of the decision he has made. A lot of success since he took
:28:29. > :28:33.over first as leader in the 1990s, but ultimately, failure wanted she
:28:34. > :28:37.has fallen short of the objective he set himself, but he has achieved an
:28:38. > :28:42.enormous amount of. 3.6 million people have voted for change. Both
:28:43. > :28:47.the no campaign and the yes campaign represent change. That is almost
:28:48. > :28:50.inconceivable, even a couple of months ago, it would not have been
:28:51. > :28:55.thought that Alex Salmond would have got us there. But his capability of
:28:56. > :29:00.drawing people in, building teams, has meant that he has delivered a
:29:01. > :29:08.huge result for Scotland. Malcolm Bruce, you are the MP for Inverurie,
:29:09. > :29:14.he was a particularly effective person to fight against? He took the
:29:15. > :29:19.seat of us, yes. He became First Minister, and he secured a
:29:20. > :29:23.referendum. But he has not taken his constituents with him, they voted
:29:24. > :29:28.2-1 against everything he stood for, and I think that is a reason why he
:29:29. > :29:31.had to go. I am not denying his success, but the problem is, he came
:29:32. > :29:35.here as First Minister and never worked the seat, and I do not think
:29:36. > :29:41.he connected with the constituents. He offered them a prospectus on
:29:42. > :29:45.independence, which I believe was irresponsible, and they have
:29:46. > :29:50.rejected that by 2-1. Both of you, thank you. The view from Alex
:29:51. > :29:54.Salmond's Aberdeenshire East constituency tonight.
:29:55. > :29:57.Independence may be off the agenda for years to come,
:29:58. > :30:00.but the way Scotland is governed is bound to change.
:30:01. > :30:02.Ahead of the referendum, the Better Together campaign said
:30:03. > :30:04.a no vote would mean fresh powers for Holyrood.
:30:05. > :30:07.And the SNP say they'll press them hard to deliver on that commitment.
:30:08. > :30:11.Our correspondent David Henderson can tell us more.
:30:12. > :30:14.Before voters went into the polling stations, it was
:30:15. > :30:18.made clear to them that even if they voted no, there would still be more
:30:19. > :30:23.So last night's decision fires the starting gun for what's bound
:30:24. > :30:26.to be an intense debate on what those new powers will be.
:30:27. > :30:34.By November, plans will be published setting out what's on offer.
:30:35. > :30:36.By January next year, they should be draft legislation ready
:30:37. > :30:44.But with a general election due in May next year, these proposals won't
:30:45. > :30:48.have the force of law until they're approved by a new batch of MPs.
:30:49. > :30:59.The man appointed to oversee the process is Lord Smith of Kelvin.
:31:00. > :31:07.When David Cameron spoke to me last week, I said, are your people
:31:08. > :31:11.sincere across the UK are little part is about doing something here?
:31:12. > :31:21.He said yes. I am taking that at face value. The Scottish Parliament
:31:22. > :31:22.has already been given new powers to control speed limits and
:31:23. > :31:25.drink-driving. In April 2016, the Scottish
:31:26. > :31:28.government will also be able to borrow up to ?5 billion
:31:29. > :31:45.and vary income tax Holyrood has become more powerful
:31:46. > :31:51.over time. But those powers have come step-by-step, not in one great
:31:52. > :31:55.leap. And the UK's rival parties have rival visions of what they want
:31:56. > :32:01.it to do. Labour wants to give this Parliament the power to vary income
:32:02. > :32:05.tax by 15p in the pound, but they are set to veto any plans which
:32:06. > :32:10.would prevent funds being redistributed around the UK.
:32:11. > :32:13.Anything that stops the justification for the needs -based
:32:14. > :32:17.payments to Scotland through the block, that would be resisted.
:32:18. > :32:23.Anything that suggests national insurance should come to Scotland,
:32:24. > :32:28.or all income tax comes to Scotland, because Labour wants to keep the
:32:29. > :32:33.different risks. The Conservatives want to end the Treasury's control
:32:34. > :32:38.over income tax rates and tax bands. They would make Holyrood accountable
:32:39. > :32:44.for 40% of the money it spends. But some think that should come at a
:32:45. > :32:51.price. What you can't do, I think, is come up with a solution that has
:32:52. > :32:54.loads of Scottish MPs hanging around still nominally representing
:32:55. > :32:59.Scotland, but unable really to vote on any matters that affect Scotland,
:33:00. > :33:04.but only on things that affect England, which is not their area of
:33:05. > :33:08.representation. The Liberal Democrats want to see a new dawn for
:33:09. > :33:13.British politics, giving Scotland power over income tax, inheritance
:33:14. > :33:17.and capital gains tax. They have also touted scrapping the act of
:33:18. > :33:23.union between Scotland and England in favour of a federal structure.
:33:24. > :33:27.But the SNP remains sceptical. The crucial point that comes out of the
:33:28. > :33:32.referendum is those powers must be delivered because they were solemnly
:33:33. > :33:37.offered in a swift and quick timescale, a reliable timescale, by
:33:38. > :33:42.the UK parties. That has to be fulfilled. So, lots of expectation
:33:43. > :33:46.and pressure to deliver a deal. The main UK parties say they already
:33:47. > :33:51.have broad areas of agreement about what additional powers will come to
:33:52. > :33:55.Holyrood. It's clear, though, that some tough horse trading lies ahead
:33:56. > :33:58.and the exact plan remains unclear. And this whole issue will not be
:33:59. > :34:06.settled until next year at the earliest.
:34:07. > :34:12.I am joined by Professor John Curtice from Strathclyde University.
:34:13. > :34:17.What impact do you think Alex Salmond's resignation will have on
:34:18. > :34:22.the negotiations? It has made it more complicated. A crucial decision
:34:23. > :34:25.the SNP now needs to take, having lost the referendum, is does it or
:34:26. > :34:30.does it not get involved in the talks about more devolution? They
:34:31. > :34:35.are meant to be over by the end of November. The difficulty now added
:34:36. > :34:39.to this is that now the SNP will be involved in a leadership election
:34:40. > :34:42.for most of that period, a leadership election in which what
:34:43. > :34:46.stance the party should take towards more devolution now it has lost the
:34:47. > :34:50.referendum could well be a subject of dispute and difference between
:34:51. > :34:54.the prospective candidates. Given that backdrop, I am not entirely
:34:55. > :34:58.clear that the SNP are either themselves going to be in a position
:34:59. > :35:03.to meet the rapid proposed timetable for coming to some agreement about
:35:04. > :35:07.more devolution within the time frame the Prime Minister reiterated
:35:08. > :35:12.this morning. So things are getting even more complicated. Thank you.
:35:13. > :35:16.Let's go back to normal service for a little while, and find out what
:35:17. > :35:22.the weather has in store on this dramatic day, hopefully it is calm.
:35:23. > :35:28.A cooler and fresher feel for most of us, but at least some brightness
:35:29. > :35:33.on the cards, which is more than most of us had today. A lot of cloud
:35:34. > :35:36.and outbreaks of patchy rain, which will continue this evening. This
:35:37. > :35:40.area of rain is sinking south and eastwards across the country, never
:35:41. > :35:44.amounting to much. Behind it, clearer skies filtering into the
:35:45. > :35:49.north-west, allowing it to become Chile in the Glens, six or seven
:35:50. > :35:54.Celsius, more typically 11-13 further south. Quite misty and murky
:35:55. > :35:58.towards the East Coast. In the weekend, a weak cold front that has
:35:59. > :36:01.been bringing the outbreaks of rain. It takes its time to clear
:36:02. > :36:07.south-east Scotland, but high pressure is building in from the
:36:08. > :36:10.west and with it a fresher feel to things. Tomorrow, still some
:36:11. > :36:15.outbreaks of rain in Fife and parts of the Central Belt, the Lothians
:36:16. > :36:19.and the Borders. Across the northern half of the country, a dry and
:36:20. > :36:24.bright start with some early morning sunshine. Come the afternoon, a bit
:36:25. > :36:28.of a reversal. Central and southern parts will see the cloud thinning
:36:29. > :36:30.and breaking to allow sunshine. Further north, the cloud will
:36:31. > :36:36.increase with outbreaks of showery rain. We will finally cleared Mr
:36:37. > :36:39.Ness and murkiness which has been plaguing the east coast, but a brisk
:36:40. > :36:45.north-westerly wind over the Northern Ireland is tomorrow. -- the
:36:46. > :36:51.Northern Isles tomorrow. Strong north-westerly winds. In the north,
:36:52. > :36:55.starting bright, clouding over with patchy rain for the afternoon.
:36:56. > :37:00.Across central and southern ranges, you will start cloudy with patchy
:37:01. > :37:05.rain and it improves for the afternoon. Quite a cold feel with
:37:06. > :37:09.the brisk winds. The afternoon and evening will end with some late
:37:10. > :37:14.sunshine, but still showers coming in from the north-west. Sunday, high
:37:15. > :37:18.pressure really starts to establish itself across Scotland. So it will
:37:19. > :37:23.settle us down and we will see decent sunshine, a lot of dry
:37:24. > :37:28.weather but still a fresh feel, quite a crisp day. Some good spells
:37:29. > :37:32.of sunshine, especially for western, central and southern Scotland. A bit
:37:33. > :37:35.more cloud the further north you go, but temperatures or most of us in
:37:36. > :37:49.the mid-to-high teens, a bit cooler around the northern coasts. Monday,
:37:50. > :37:52.a bit of a change as a weather front comes into the Northwest, bringing
:37:53. > :37:55.rain to the northern and western islands, but on the whole still a
:37:56. > :37:57.lot of dry and bright weather. A cooler feel for the weekend, with
:37:58. > :38:01.some brightness around. Earlier, we saw some scuffles in George Square.
:38:02. > :38:06.Let's get an update from Cameron. What is the situation? Still very
:38:07. > :38:12.tense. We have had to pull out, there was definitely a feeling that
:38:13. > :38:15.we were being targeted at one point. Not pleasant in there. Both sides
:38:16. > :38:25.throwing things, smoke bombs and flares at one point. A few scuffles,
:38:26. > :38:33.the police trying to keep people apart. Helicopters overhead. One
:38:34. > :38:39.side singing, Flower of Scotland, the other singing rule Britannia,
:38:40. > :38:43.but still very tense here. Let's go back to the events of last night.
:38:44. > :38:50.The independence campaign managed to win over 1.6 million votes. But just
:38:51. > :38:53.four of the 32 local authority areas, Glasgow, Dundee, West
:38:54. > :38:57.Dunbartonshire and North Lanarkshire. What is the rest of
:38:58. > :39:00.Scotland making of the relatively comfortable victory for Better
:39:01. > :39:09.Together? On the banks of the River Tay, Angela. What is the reaction?
:39:10. > :39:13.-- Andrew. Tonight over in Dundee, on the streets and houses, in the
:39:14. > :39:17.bars and cafes, much of the talk will be about the outcome of this
:39:18. > :39:24.referendum. Independence campaigners dubbed Dundee Yes Cap max it it, and
:39:25. > :39:34.Dundee delivered with a majority of 13,000. -- Yes City. The success of
:39:35. > :39:36.the SNP in recent years in encroaching into a traditional
:39:37. > :39:40.Labour heartland had foreshadowed that result. Despite that, Dundee
:39:41. > :39:45.won't be seeing independence because most people in Scotland say they
:39:46. > :39:49.don't want it. So in the streets in there today I met people who were
:39:50. > :39:54.disappointed, depressed, even dejected, but the yes campaign in
:39:55. > :39:57.Dundee are unbowed. They say the referendum has brought together
:39:58. > :40:02.various political groupings. They claim that has created real momentum
:40:03. > :40:06.for change. We have been working together with one aim in mind. We
:40:07. > :40:10.may not agree with each other on individual policies, but we are all
:40:11. > :40:14.working on the best for Scotland. We work together to make Dundee a
:40:15. > :40:17.resounding vote for yes and we are proud of our city. There may be
:40:18. > :40:20.frustration and disappointment but we are proud of what we have
:40:21. > :40:26.achieved in Dundee, and we are delighted Glasgow came the same way.
:40:27. > :40:30.That is how it's looking in Dundee. What about other parts of Scotland?
:40:31. > :40:37.Our reporters have been in Dumfries, Orkney and Inverness. The Inverness
:40:38. > :40:41.statue of Flora MacDonald gazes westwards, wondering what happened
:40:42. > :40:47.to the yes vote in the Highlands when their campaign had seemed so
:40:48. > :40:51.vocal, so well organised. As one Better Together campaigner put it to
:40:52. > :40:55.me, it was finally the no vote turning out, having been reluctant,
:40:56. > :41:02.fearful even, during the campaign of mailing their colours to the mast. I
:41:03. > :41:07.was hoping it would just be the quiet people that kept themselves to
:41:08. > :41:14.themselves and then went and did the deed. Yes, absolutely delighted. On
:41:15. > :41:18.Orkney, there was a clear vote to remain within the union. It was the
:41:19. > :41:23.highest percentage in favour of no anywhere in Scotland, just over 67%.
:41:24. > :41:26.Even here, though, there is a difference of opinion over last
:41:27. > :41:31.night's result and a willingness to look towards the future. I was
:41:32. > :41:40.really getting worried, I thought, oh my gosh, is it going to go yes?
:41:41. > :41:43.Personally very disappointed that the yes campaign didn't win, because
:41:44. > :41:49.in many ways we had the most positive arguments. But if there is
:41:50. > :41:53.something to look forward to, it's that all parties seem to agree that
:41:54. > :41:58.we need to reform the political system, and I think we have to make
:41:59. > :42:03.sure the politicians do that meaningfully. Re-conciliation is the
:42:04. > :42:08.most important thing. I do fear that it may have created a rift and it
:42:09. > :42:12.needs to be healed. Along with the Scottish Borders, Dumfries and
:42:13. > :42:17.Galloway the lid of the most emphatic rejection of independence,
:42:18. > :42:20.a 2-1 vote against. -- delivered the most emphatic rejection. A higher
:42:21. > :42:25.than average proportion of English born voters and elderly voters, and
:42:26. > :42:29.of course the cap back border influence. The vote means Scotland
:42:30. > :42:34.and England will remain united, but what about divisions on the ground?
:42:35. > :42:41.And in the future? We need a period of reflection. And I think we need
:42:42. > :42:45.to learn much more from the Westminster government about what is
:42:46. > :42:49.on the table in terms of devolution. It's going to be a wake-up call to
:42:50. > :42:53.the Westminster government to help not only Scotland, which they
:42:54. > :42:56.promised to do years ago and have never quite delivered, but to help
:42:57. > :43:01.northern England and Wales and Northern Ireland. I am particularly
:43:02. > :43:05.delighted because there have been promised is from the Westminster
:43:06. > :43:10.government to improve what we have got at the moment. -- there have
:43:11. > :43:13.been promises. That has gone a long way to increase the majority. All
:43:14. > :43:20.the promises they have made us, we will have to wait and see, but I
:43:21. > :43:23.feel down today. Yet Scotland knew they were underdogs in the south and
:43:24. > :43:29.won't have been surprised to lose the vote here. -- Yes Scotland. But
:43:30. > :43:35.given the social media campaign, the size of the defeat will hurt.
:43:36. > :43:41.The thing I found fascinating to be wandering around Dundee city
:43:42. > :43:45.centre, what was already beginning to bring yes and no voters together,
:43:46. > :43:49.that was the prospect of further powers, more powers for the Scottish
:43:50. > :43:53.parliament. The yes and no voters I spoke to agree that was necessary
:43:54. > :43:56.and should happen, and it's that next stage in this debate that they
:43:57. > :43:57.are going to be watching very closely over the coming weeks and
:43:58. > :44:12.months. It was the Kingdom of Fife that
:44:13. > :44:14.finally pushed the no vote over the finishing line in the small hours.
:44:15. > :44:26.Alison Morgan reports. It is not the first time Fife has
:44:27. > :44:29.played a significant role in Scotland's political history. This
:44:30. > :44:35.was where Alex Salmond got his majority in 2011. In 2014, it was
:44:36. > :44:39.where Scotland said no. It has got everything from agriculture,
:44:40. > :44:46.high-tech, traditional mining areas. It is so different to other areas.
:44:47. > :44:51.It is Scotland in miniature. So, how did this microcosm of Scotland view
:44:52. > :44:55.the no result? I was completely taken aback that there has been a no
:44:56. > :45:04.vote here. Absolutely devastated, really. I was a no vote myself. And
:45:05. > :45:09.I have got a 4 -year-old son. It is not of about our generation, it is
:45:10. > :45:16.about the younger ones. I am not very happy about it, to be honest.
:45:17. > :45:19.Kirkcaldy is known as the birthplace of the economist Adam Smith, but how
:45:20. > :45:23.influential was another economist and local boy, the former Prime
:45:24. > :45:29.Minister Gordon Brown, in making sure of the no vote here in Fife? At
:45:30. > :45:37.last, the world is hearing the voices of the real people of
:45:38. > :45:45.Scotland. The silent majority will be silent no more. He does have a
:45:46. > :45:49.lot of support, and I think he may be swung it at the last minute for
:45:50. > :45:55.the no campaign. A big influence, I think, yes. I do not know if he was
:45:56. > :46:00.the most popular Prime Minister, but he is local and he seemed to come
:46:01. > :46:05.across well, passionate. But there are other opinions on why people
:46:06. > :46:08.here in Fife voted the way they did. People were getting confused on what
:46:09. > :46:13.they were voting for. They were not voting for SNP, that is where we got
:46:14. > :46:18.lost. I think it has been money, mostly. I think people have been
:46:19. > :46:23.frightened about pensions and this and that. It is such a brave
:46:24. > :46:27.decision to be made, and I do not think the promises were good enough.
:46:28. > :46:30.It could have just been the last-minute jitters, they could not
:46:31. > :46:37.go for the big change, the uncertainty. One thing IS certain -
:46:38. > :46:41.the waiting for the outcome of the referendum is over.
:46:42. > :46:43.But a different story in Scotland's biggest city, Glasgow.
:46:44. > :46:46.The people there backed independence.
:46:47. > :46:48.194,000 of them saying yes, with a turnout of 75%.
:46:49. > :47:02.Glasgow is a Scottish city like no other. Heavy traditional industry
:47:03. > :47:05.welding home-workers together in solidarity. This historically shaped
:47:06. > :47:18.politics. It is true Labour heartland. Once upon a time... Yes,
:47:19. > :47:25.194,000. Now, Glasgow is a city for independence. You cannot guarantee
:47:26. > :47:30.that Glasgow will do what every other place in Scotland does. But in
:47:31. > :47:36.recent years Lascelles has had a declining vote for the Labour Party.
:47:37. > :47:40.The city council seems to be bucking that trend. The independence
:47:41. > :47:45.movement has had some success in Glasgow over the years, but never
:47:46. > :47:49.prolonged. Margo MacDonald, and John Mason, 35 years later, both lost
:47:50. > :47:53.their SNP seats at the next election. Today's result marks a
:47:54. > :47:59.significant change, according to some. Scotland's biggest city wants
:48:00. > :48:05.change, that is what we take from this. We want to attack poverty and
:48:06. > :48:10.low pay. I am proud of everyone who voted for independence, particularly
:48:11. > :48:14.Glasgow. The Labour Party had better open its ears, because it is
:48:15. > :48:19.finished in Glasgow. Those who have held power in Glasgow for Labour say
:48:20. > :48:26.the city will not only return to the party, but shape its rise back into
:48:27. > :48:30.power. I expect Glaswegians to give the Labour Party a bloody nose, and
:48:31. > :48:36.they did. I would expect them now to lead the Labour revival. I would
:48:37. > :48:40.expect them to start working for that socially just society, and they
:48:41. > :48:45.will do that by returning Labour at the next general election. The site
:48:46. > :48:51.of heavy industry, now standing as a tourist attraction, perhaps best
:48:52. > :48:58.illustrates the huge change which is consuming Glasgow for the last three
:48:59. > :49:00.or four decades. What remains to be seen is whether these latest results
:49:01. > :49:03.will usher in a new type of politics across the city.
:49:04. > :49:06.So how does Scotland come together after a long and robust debate?
:49:07. > :49:08.Services are planned over the weekend to bring
:49:09. > :49:12.One of those involves the Moderator of the General Assembly
:49:13. > :49:20.The Right Reverend John Chalmers joins me now.
:49:21. > :49:26.Do you really think such services are necessary? Well, I think they
:49:27. > :49:29.are going to help. I am really pleased that today began with
:49:30. > :49:32.restraint, both of the First Minister and Alistair Darling I
:49:33. > :49:36.think set the right tone. And I think that we can help on Sunday
:49:37. > :49:39.when we have all of the party leaders together, committing to some
:49:40. > :49:45.unity of purpose for Scotland going forward. I asked the question, do we
:49:46. > :49:50.really need it, but we have seen footage tonight of unrest in the
:49:51. > :49:56.centre of our biggest city... As you know, there has been at the fringe
:49:57. > :50:01.of the campaign some unrest, and I think it was perhaps predictable
:50:02. > :50:06.that there might be, on the fringe, some unrest today. But as I said
:50:07. > :50:10.already, we began the day with restraint and I hope we can end it
:50:11. > :50:16.with restraint. I think the right note has been set between those who
:50:17. > :50:20.have won and those who feel they have lost, and I think we can start
:50:21. > :50:27.to repair the damage even further this weekend. And the impact of the
:50:28. > :50:30.Queen's words? I think she has demonstrated a confidence in the
:50:31. > :50:34.Scottish people to be able to set aside their differences. Yesterday,
:50:35. > :50:40.they were on opposite sides of the same coin. Today, they are the same
:50:41. > :50:45.coin. We can heal, and we can move forward together. That is my great
:50:46. > :50:54.hope and prayer. Moderator, thank you for coming along tonight.
:50:55. > :50:59.The major news this afternoon is that Alex Salmond has resigned as
:51:00. > :51:05.First Minister. His career spanned more than 40 years. He was a member
:51:06. > :51:08.of the Federation of student nationalists at St Andrews
:51:09. > :51:10.University, going right up to the present day. This report from Andrew
:51:11. > :51:14.Kerr. This young lad from Linlithgow
:51:15. > :51:17.became a young man with a plan. Alexander Elliot Anderson Salmond
:51:18. > :51:20.signed up to the Scottish National A student with a keen sense
:51:21. > :51:25.of Scottish history, he became a man with a key role
:51:26. > :51:30.in Scotland's modern story. A rising star in the party, he ended
:51:31. > :51:34.up being expelled for being part of In 1987, he was on his way to
:51:35. > :51:56.Westminster. In 1988, Nigel Lawson's
:51:57. > :51:58.budget was interrupted. I beg to move that Mr Salmond be
:51:59. > :52:01.suspended from the service The stunt paved the way
:52:02. > :52:05.for a successful leadership bid Years of managing the party
:52:06. > :52:21.through opposition then followed. Scottish politics came to the fore
:52:22. > :52:27.at Westminster, with a devolution referendum in 1997. Political rivals
:52:28. > :52:32.joined sides, and it was a good result for Alex Salmond, a prophetic
:52:33. > :52:36.meant for Westminster. They had better sit up and take notice,
:52:37. > :52:41.something is changing in Scotland. Two years later, he led the SNP into
:52:42. > :52:44.the first Scottish elections. The voters did not buy a penny for
:52:45. > :52:47.Scotland. Disappointment for the SNP.
:52:48. > :52:50.After a lacklustre time, the leader stepped down in 2000.
:52:51. > :52:55.I really, I can't begin to explain how much I enjoy this aspect,
:52:56. > :53:01.The men in grey kilts, a popular phrase at the time,
:53:02. > :53:07.In an Aberdeen hotel in July 2004, Mr Salmond announced he was
:53:08. > :53:17.Today, I am launching my candidacy to be the First Minister of
:53:18. > :53:18.Scotland. He had an inkling that Labour were
:53:19. > :53:21.in decline, that there would be Fast forward to May 2007,
:53:22. > :53:39.and a win by one seat. Mr Salmond addressed
:53:40. > :53:58.the delighted party faithful. The trials and tribulations of being
:53:59. > :53:59.in power then followed. The release of the Lockerbie bomber caused
:54:00. > :54:02.international outrage. On the domestic front,
:54:03. > :54:04.the national conversation sowed Scotland liked what it saw in the
:54:05. > :54:09.main and gave the SNP another chance The crowning glory, at the time,
:54:10. > :54:24.for the master strategist. This is not just a victory for a
:54:25. > :54:26.single political party, I believe it is a victory for a society, a people
:54:27. > :54:28.and a nation. A majority government meant
:54:29. > :54:30.a referendum. The Edinburgh agreement
:54:31. > :54:33.in autumn 2012 sealed the deal. London and Edinburgh would abide
:54:34. > :54:43.by the result. The very substantial gain that
:54:44. > :54:46.Scotland now has is that we have an agreed process to hold this
:54:47. > :54:52.referendum. I am honoured to announce that on Thursday the 18th
:54:53. > :54:56.of September 2014, we will hold Scotland's referendum, a historic
:54:57. > :54:57.day, when the people will decide Scotland's future.
:54:58. > :55:00.A dream come true or too much too soon?
:55:01. > :55:02.Now with the authority of the Scottish government behind him, he
:55:03. > :55:13.This referendum is about the future of Scotland, and the future of
:55:14. > :55:19.Scotland should be in the hands of the people of Scotland. That young
:55:20. > :55:24.man with a plan set a date of destiny for the people of Scotland.
:55:25. > :55:28.It was not to be. Now, he says his time is nearly over. But the
:55:29. > :55:41.campaign continues. He says he hopes that youthful dream will never die.
:55:42. > :55:44.Did he have to go now? Some of his friends and colleagues tried to
:55:45. > :55:48.persuade him to stay. I think firstly he has a personal feeling
:55:49. > :55:52.that he has done the job for rather a long time, 20 years as leader, in
:55:53. > :55:58.two stints of the longest serving First Minister, not a bad shift, as
:55:59. > :56:02.he says himself, at the coal face. Secondly, there is a pragmatic
:56:03. > :56:05.consideration, which is that yes, this was an amazing exercise in
:56:06. > :56:12.democracy, but the sheer numbers tell you that the independence cause
:56:13. > :56:16.lost, it lost the day. So Mr Salmond is associated with a defeat, and
:56:17. > :56:20.perhaps tactically, he believes it is better to have another person
:56:21. > :56:23.stepped in, and that person will be Nicola Sturgeon, thereby advancing
:56:24. > :56:31.the cause of independence. He has been described today as one of, or
:56:32. > :56:36.the best, politician of his generation, he was a formidable
:56:37. > :56:39.campaigner? Was and is. An exceptionally able individual. I
:56:40. > :56:44.have known him for rather a long time, we were at university
:56:45. > :56:48.together. That person of him at university is quite hideous, given
:56:49. > :56:52.that he is exactly nine days older than me. He was always a committed
:56:53. > :56:59.and dedicated politician, from those university days, right up to today.
:57:00. > :57:03.Is it that certain that the successor will be Nicola Sturgeon?
:57:04. > :57:08.The bookies have certainly installed her as the clear favourite. I think
:57:09. > :57:13.those in the party who may consider standing against her will know that
:57:14. > :57:18.that is the case, and if they do, I do not fancy their chances in a
:57:19. > :57:22.leadership contest. Nicola Sturgeon has a hard act to follow, I think
:57:23. > :57:26.formidable is the right word for Alex Salmond, feared and admired in
:57:27. > :57:35.equal measure. It will be for his successor to try and make the most
:57:36. > :57:38.out of the settlement. It now seems that the country is somewhat divided
:57:39. > :57:42.on its future. The First Minister is stepping down. We are told more
:57:43. > :57:46.powers will come to the Scottish Parliament. The Queen says the
:57:47. > :57:50.result will be the spectator throughout the United Kingdom. From
:57:51. > :57:54.all of us on Reporting Scotland, after an extraordinary day, I hope
:57:55. > :58:01.you have enjoyed our coverage, for now, goodbye. I believe that this is
:58:02. > :58:08.a new, exciting situation, which is redolent with possibility. But in
:58:09. > :58:09.that situation, I think the party, Parliament and country would benefit
:58:10. > :59:02.from new leadership. # You promised me something to
:59:03. > :59:07.believe in.