The decision by Scottish voters to remain part of the United Kingdom, by a margin of 55.3 per cent to 44.7 per cent, is a welcome relief, and a good result for both Scotland and the UK. Scotland is a great nation and it is even greater by being part of the UK, to which it has contributed substantially.

The 84.5 per cent turnout was a historic high for any election held in the UK since 1918, and the size of the ‘No’ victory was quite substantial, so this issue has clearly been settled for some time now. After all, Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond did say in the campaign that this was a “once in a lifetime opportunity”.

The last thing Britain – and the European Union – needed right now was a messy divorce (and a constitutional crisis) taking place in one of the EU’s largest and most important member states. This could have also triggered similar calls for independence in other regions within the EU, such as Catalonia and parts of northern Italy.

There were simply too many uncertainties and risks associated with Scottish independence. In the event of a ‘Yes’ victory, what would have happened to the UK debt, the armed forces, borders, immigration policy, Britain’s nuclear deterrent, pensions, Scotland’s currency and its membership of the EU and Nato? How many of Scotland’s businesses and banks would have relocated to England?

Furthermore, Scotland out of the UK would have diminished Britain’s international standing, especially within the EU, Nato and the UN Security Council. It would have called into question the whole notion of Britishness, and it would have ruined one of the most successful marriages in history, that of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, all of which have contributed to making the UK what it is today.

The referendum result showed that one can be proud to be both Scottish and British, with no contradiction between the two. It’s no different than being a citizen of an EU member state. One can be both Maltese and European, or Dutch and European, for example.

The ‘No’ campaign slogan ‘Better Together’ really did make sense. The four nations, although different in their own way, have so much in common that it just didn’t seem sensible for the UK to break up. No wonder former prime minister Gordon Brown, in his brilliant speech to a ‘No’ rally last week, said the ‘Yes’ camp, led by the Scottish Nationalists and Alex Salmond (who resigned as First Minister on Friday) “don’t know what they are doing”.

British Prime Minister David Cameron must have been clearly relieved by the result and was obviously dreading the possibility of being remembered as the Prime Minister who presided over the dissolution of the UK. Cameron said: “The people of Scotland have spoken and it is a clear result. They have kept our country of four nations together; it would have broken my heart to see our United Kingdom come to an end.”

What happens now? First of all, the referendum campaign was a somewhat divisive one, so the people of Scotland must now unite in a spirit of reconciliation. Scottish politicians of all shades from both the ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ camps, Church leaders and members of civil society must play their part in this process.

We are in for some very interesting times indeed with a complete revamp of Britain’s constitutional set-up

Next, a new constitutional framework for the UK will have to be worked out. Towards the end of the campaign when the ‘No’ camp was gaining in the polls, Cameron – supported by both the Liberal Democrats and Labour – offered Scotland more devolution and fiscal powers. The Prime Minister announced on Friday this draft legislation is to be published by January, as promised, but he also spoke of the implications for the other UK nations.

“In Wales there are proposals to give the Welsh government and Assembly more powers and I want Wales to be at the heart of the debate on how to make the United Kingdom work for all our nations,” he said.

“In Northern Ireland, we must work to ensure that the devolved institutions function effectively.”

Cameron said that “millions of voices of England must also be heard”.

He added: “The question of English votes for English laws, the so-called West Lothian question, requires a decisive answer, so just as Scotland will vote separately in the Scottish Parliament on their issues on tax, spending and welfare, so too England as well as Wales and Northern Ireland should be able to vote on these issues.”

So we are in for some very interesting times indeed with a complete revamp of Britain’s constitutional set-up. Scotland has voted solidly to remain part of the UK, but in the process has set off a process of devolution (maybe even federalism) through­out the country. The UK will change drastically, probably for the better, and has a chance to show the world that nations can live together while maintaining their distinct identity.

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