BREAKING NEWS: Alex Salmond resigns hours after Scotland votes no to independence. Daily Mail

  BREAKING: Alex Salmond announces he is resigning as Scotland's First Minister after independence defeat

  It came after the 'No' campaign secured 55% of the vote with Mr Salmond's Yes to independence camp achieving 45%

  Total turnout was 84.5% topping 90% in pro-Union areas but dipping to the mid-70s in key Yes working-class areas    

  Yes wins in Dundee, Glasgow, North Lanarkshire and West Dunbartonshire, but fell short by 384,935 votes

  David Cameron addressed the nation this morning vowing to introduce 'English votes for English laws'

  The Queen is following events 'closely' and will make a statement today in response to the public's decision 

  Tennis champion Andy Murray rows back from pro-independence tweet, insisting he will still play for Team GB 

Alex Salmond this afternoon dramatically quit as Scotland's First Minister after voters rejected independence.

The First Minister said he would stand down in November to let the next generation take over the fight to lead Scotland out of the Union. 

Mr Salmond announced his departure at a press conference this afternoon. He said 'party, Parliament and country' would benefit from 'new leadership'.

But he fired a warning shot at David Cameron not to go back on his promise to transfer sweeping new powers to Holyrood within six months.

This afternoon's announcement came after he was forced to accept that a majority of Scots had decided 'at this stage' not to become an independent country. The 'No' campaign secured 55 per cent of the vote to the nationalists' 45 per cent.

Comment:

Mr Salmond has done the honourable thing and has resigned after the shock defeat of the Yes camp in the Scottish Independence Referendum,  it would be interesting to see who replaces him,  the most obvious candidate is Nicola Sturgeon.   Scotland has decided to remain part of the United Kingdom, it’s time for Scotland to decide who forms the next Scottish Government, The Scottish National Party needs in the next few months, to step down and call a general election in Scotland,  I believe that the SNP no longer have the mandate or the support of the Scottish electorate and they should do the honourable thing and let the Scottish people decide what political party lead their government,  after the success of the Better Together,  there are 3 men from the same political party who I believe should make a better First Minister,  Alistair Darling,  Douglas Alexander and Gordon Brown. I would like to make an appeal to Mr Brown,  Scotland needs you Gordon.

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