Updated 10:20 a.m. Moscow Time
EDINBURGH, September 19 (RIA Novosti), Mark Hirst - The leader of the pro-Scottish independence campaign and the current First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond, has conceded defeat in a historic referendum and expressed his doubts as to whether Scotland would be able to go back to 'business as usual' in politics.
"We have touched sections of the community that have never been touched before and I don't think we can ever go back to business as usual in politics in Scotland again," Salmond said in a speech to supporters in Edinburgh.
"We shall go forward as one nation," Salmond added.
"Our referendum was an agreed and consented process. Scotland has decided No at this stage to become and independent country and I accept that verdict."
Salmond said he accepted the verdict of the people and called on Scotland to accept the democratic verdict of the people of Scotland.
With the vote count over in 31 out of 32 Scottish regions early Friday, Scotland is projected to reject independence by a substantial margin of nearly ten percent.
According to the most recent results 55.42 percent voted against seceding the United Kingdom and 44.58 percent supported independence.
