Alexander Elliott Anderson Salmond, almost defied the odds

After a lengthy campaign, arduous canvassing, a full day of voting and an anxious night of ballot counting, the referendum on Scottish independence has come to its conclusion.

Scotland has rejected independence and has chosen to remain part of the United Kingdom. The referendum’s outcome was close with a majority of only 400’000 votes in favour of the status quo. A considerable 45% of the electorate cast their vote in favour of an independent Scotland.

Alex Salmond, leader of the Scottish National Party, leader of the Yes Campaign and First Minister  of Scotland announced later in the day that he would not stand for re-election as party leader and that he would resign his post as First Minister. This has come as no surprise despite his assurances to the contrary earlier during the campaign.

A selfless leader, one of the last true Statesmen in the world and a fine gentleman, he took full responsibility for his party’s and the Yes-Campaign’s defeat and decided that a new helmsman   would best serve the cause for a fairer and more equal Scotland.

Alex Salomond’s personal defeat is possibly Scotland’s greatest victory since joining the Union more than three hundred years ago. No man before him has single-handedly achieved so much in such short a period of time. He has changed for ever the political landscape of Scotland and the entire United Kingdom. Politics on British soil, after Alex Salmond, will never be the same again. 

Scotland’s referendum and the uncomfortably close result have unmasked the nationwide discomfort with the concentration of power in Westminster. Promises by Mr Cameron, of further devolution of power to Scotland, in the case of a No-vote, have ignited a wildfire which will spread fast and far. Mr Cameron will have to find some creative answers to challenging questions of power sharing if he wants to maintain peace and order in the “family” and satisfy Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland as well as parts of England.

Alex Salmond’s heir or heiress will push for expeditious progress for further devolution compliant with the principles of subsidiarity. There are many successful examples of a federal nature, Swiss federalism being just one of them taking cognisance of its country’s regional multilingual, multicultural and economic differences. 

Great Britain will have to design and engineer its very own constitutional engine and the tenant at No 10 Downing street will be burning the midnight oil for months to come analysing and discussing constitutional models with legal experts.The full extent of Alexander Salmond’s contribution to Scotland and the United Kingdom will only become evident in the years ahead and chances are that we haven't heard the last from him yet.
J.S.