In recent months it was the Yes campaign that was accused of letting passion get the better of them. But when the polls opened, it was the same side’s failure to get enough voters out that may have sunk hopes for independence.
Overall the turnout was a record-breaking 84 per cent, the highest figure seen in Scotland since the 1951 General Election. In East Renfrewshire and Stirling it was 90 per cent and 91 per cent in East Dunbartonshire.
When the final figures from the Highlands came in this morning, 28 of the 32 local authority areas had delivered victories for the No campaign.
In 10 of those areas the campaign for retaining the Union won more than 60 per cent of the vote.
Scottish independence referendum
They included Aberdeenshire, the home constituency of SNP leader Alex Salmond, which delivered just over 60 per cent support to No.
In contrast the Yes campaign’s biggest win was in Dundee City, where 57 per cent of the electorate backed independence.
