Us, now, or never
We have fifteen hours.
The next fifteen hours mark the only ones in the entire history of time in which the fate of Scotland has rested democratically in the hands of its people. In 1707 the country was sold from under its people’s feet by a tiny handful of “nobles”. Before that it was won or lost in blood and sorrow. Today, the will of the people – every man and woman with one equal vote, regardless of wealth or property – shall decide.
Voting Yes won’t magically solve our problems overnight. But they’ll be ours to own and solve for ourselves. We need not do things in the way they’ve “always been done”. We can take Scotland – a nation at once both proudly ancient and reborn afresh – and shape it in whatever form we choose.
It will be a land not inherited from our predecessors – for they never owned it to give – but lent to us by our children, to build into a place they can prosper and flourish, not be forced to leave in search of opportunity. For those already driven away, a home worth returning to. And for those who’ve never been, a welcoming beacon of hope.
All those Scotlands, shared by all of us. Something old. Something new. Something borrowed. You know the rest.
Our enemies are not the good people of England. They, like us and much of the rest of the world, suffer the injustices and indignities imposed by a ruling class which has no nation but power and no language but money.
A new feudalism grips the planet, a reversal of much of the progress of the 20th century. Workers have seen their rights diminished, and ever-greater toil yields an ever-smaller share of the rewards, which are greedily hoarded by the wealthy on a scale not seen since medieval times. Our children are placed under a yoke of enormous debt before their working lives even begin, our elderly pushed ever closer to the grave before they can rest.
Independence alone is not the solution. But it is the vital first step that makes the solution possible. Many of those in the rest of the UK, and elsewhere across the world, look enviously on the chance we hold in our hands today, and urge us to use it, to show that another way is possible.
If we vote Yes we will remain allies, comrades-in-arms and friends with our brothers and sisters to the south, and this time it will be a friendship forged from respect, not subservience or subsidy. But if we hand back power meekly to the Bullingdon elite like a cowed serf whose courage deserted him at the last moment we will have earned only their contempt, and it will be richly deserved and pitilessly exercised.
Those who rule over us had forgotten fear, except as a tool. They buy governments. They laugh in the face of the law. They own the press. The real, unelected holders and wielders of power are immune to transient politicians reliant on patronage.
But they’re afraid now.
You know it’s true. Have you ever in your life seen such blind, hysterical panic on the normally-serene faces of the insatiable rich? Have you ever before this day witnessed the privileged and powerful – the captains of industry, the commanders of armies, the self-proclaimed “masters of the universe” – in such abject, frenzied terror, cajoling and pleading and warning and bullying, saying anything they can think of to stop us?
Why do you think that is? Is it because they’re scared FOR us – they who’ve never previously cared about anything except our votes and our money, they who despise the frail and torment the vulnerable? Or is it because they’re scared OF us?
They have not been this weak in three centuries, and they will never be this weak again in our lifetimes. For let there be no mistake: they will not allow this unexpected, unforeseen peril, this democracy no longer de-fanged but suddenly red in tooth and claw, to threaten them twice.
We have no need of guns or bombs. This revolution will have no martyrs, no widows, no orphans. For fifteen precious hours our land can be won for a cross in a box. For one fleeting moment, our foes’ flank is exposed, all their mighty weapons useless.
On them, readers. On them. They fail.
edin leak load of bollocks#sorry
postal votes counted 10pm
@muttley79
I was asked at the polling station if I’d like to keep my polling card and I answered that I’d keep it as a souvenir and we both smiled.
At the last election I was also asked if I wanted to keep it but didn’t bother then.
I’m in my 60s and never thought I’d live to see the day when I’d be voting for Scotland’s independence. I have tears in my eyes reading through the comments. I’m full of hope and full of anxiety waiting for the result. If it’s a yes the anxiety will be gone in a flash. I felt shaky, butterflies in my stomach, going to vote. The moment I put the cross in the yes box was exquisite, an X for all the years that I voted in general elections and never made a difference. I hope that this time I have. I’m sure the Welsh side of my family, sadly all deceased, would have been cheering me on.
A HUGE thank you to Wings, Wee Ginger Dug, Bella Caledonia, Newsnet, Scot goes Pop, Derek Bateman, National Collective and all the grassroots campaigners. Without you we’d have been crushed by the biased media. I’ve only ever made one comment online in my life. This feels a good day to make the second.
@Andy
Apparently its illegal to publish exit polls or even anything which remotely looks like one whilst polling is going on so best to keep any such off site till after 10pm.
@fredblogger
It started out as a sheepish grin and carried on from there. 😀
Lets get those EXTRA votes out guys! I spoke to a lady not far from the polling station who said that her daughter, Heather, would like to vote YES but was too ill to travel – I went and picked Heather up and she said that she’d be telling all her pals to vote YES too. Met an Irish woman in same location and she said she was undecided. However, when I mentioned I was half Irish and the Republic of Ireland had to fight with guns and blood to win their freedom from Westminister … she went in and gave YES her vote. Send out last minute texts, get on Facebook, get EVERY LAST YES VOTE OUT! X
Pussy Nancy
My friend is an electrol officer in Edinburgh the voting procedure is very strict.All postal votes are treated the same as the votes made on the day, they are secured until 10pm tonight and are then as you say transferred to the counting station along with the other votes hope this helps.
PS Mutley, you can keep your polling card, lady at polling station gave me mine back this morning nothing illegal it is only used as a formality..
pussy nancy at 2:04 pm
Sorry if this has been asked before and I have missed the answer. After polls close, I believe ballot boxes are then transferred to their designated counting centres. Is that right? If so, how secure is the transfer?
Hope someone can lay my anxiety to rest!
I found this from Craig Murray – perhaps someone knows more:
“Everywhere I am especially cheered by the sheer determination of people to ensure they are not cheated by ballot-rigging, and their very wakeful understanding of the possibilities. It is not just a question of observers at the counts; there has been a groundswell to organise for ballot boxes to be followed from polling stations through to the count, which is essential but seldom done.”
link to craigmurray.org.uk
Rosyth down at dockyard, would say 50-50 so far.
Yes was the top box was it not?
Cannot believe the venom of no voting workmates today! If it is a no vote I will gutted but move on. These usually cheerie guys are unreal. I mean they don’t even know the result yet….or do they? 🙂
I have just walked over to the polls with some friends . All YES .
I took my time and made damn sure i put my x in the right box.
got home made a cuppa and tried to think of the previous 10 mins. Nothing. Can’t picture it and it only happened 10 mins ago.
Did i put my cross in the YES box ??
Did i just go to the polls ?
Bloody hell this is surreal.
Is it really happening ?
I am gonna lie doon for an hour.
The wait will kill me.
Alleged assault in clydebank. No other info by the police but msm saying it was a yesser. Also, graffiti in the vale. Jackie Baillie all over it.
I’ve been waiting for the black ops to start….
I am pure terrified. C’mon well.
Bookie? Maybe not:
link to jamesbarlow.co.uk
@EdinScot – Fingers crossed
Still absolutely bricking it. No idea what we can do if we don’t win this. Looks like we’d be screwed forever.
Just back from our stint outside one of the polling stations in Annan. What an utterly fantastic day it has been so far. 😛 I don’t care about the result in D&G any more there is so much air of positivity around I feel like I’m walking on a cloud.
I was a wee bit concerned first thing that we would be inundated with NO voters but that has NOT been the case. I can not believe the number of cars and pedestrians passing us into and out of the polling station who are voting YES!
I am beginning to believe that there is an outside chance that we can even take D&G now with a YES VICTORY! O.K. I know in reality that probably won’t happen but at the same time I DO feel we do have a real chance. 😛
Oops, sorry for the double post.
Have a great day (and night) everyone.
If we got even close to fifty fifty in D&G, Borders and South Ayrshire we’re talking a great victory for Yes. Arrrgh. So worried now. Out my hands. Can only wait.
Putting the X in the YES box this morning gave me the most liberating feeling. It is humbling to think that, throughout history, millions have given their lives to achieve what we can achieve with a simple mark. Do it, people.
Hail Alba
macart chalks and Colin Church
thanks! WBB to hand, having the conversation, wish me luck:-)
ewen says:
Alleged assault in clydebank. No other info by the police but msm saying it was a yesser. Also, graffiti in the vale. Jackie Baillie all over it.
I’ve been waiting for the black ops to start….
Aye well Ewen I guess THIS never happened then cause there has been NOTHING about it on the news anywhere!
link to facebook.com
Oh and these people care just ever so law abiding they NEVER EVER cause any disturbances!
link to twitter.com
link to twitter.com
Wasnt sure if to post this earlier as didnt want to raise false hopes but…my pal who works in office building was speaking to one of the Senior Ipsos Mori managers this morning and apparantly the polls conducted by them this last couple of weeks have been showing a win for yes. The weighting and inability to reach certain groups has badly skewed the date put out to the media.
As far as im aware Ipsos only phone landlines which would mean their main demographic is the elderly. Apparantly Ipsos and the whole building of various offices is buzzing with this. Thats now why i able to post the news now as didnt want the person in trouble. My pal gets on very well with him which is why he divulged when asked for any news.
Wont get carried away though as us independence supporters dont do complacency. Feet on the ground time. Just wanted to share this snippet. Fingers crossed folks.
Imagine our delight when we left home
with 10 mins before ‘opening time’
to discover our neighbour,
whom we were sure were died in the wool unionists,
had decorated their windows with YES posters and stickers. We were, well, flabbergasted!
but of course so pleased as well.
I said to my wife ‘if our neighbours can vote Yes, absolutely anyone can’.
Something very very special is happening
in Scotland right now
and it is wonderful to be part of it.
The BBC NEWS have just broadcast on an item complaining about STATUS CONTROLLED MEDIA IN RUSSIA.
Apparently, one of their teams have been assaulted and their camera records interfered with.
They were without bias, presumably, recording evidence which “allegedly”, some authority in Russia took exception to. They say assaulted them and drove off with their equipment AFTER the alleged assault.
I DON’T BELIEVE THEM. NOT ANY MORE.
@Jackie g
Cheers.
We are halfway through voting now.
Unfortunately had to give my last copy of the WBB, ironically enough to an RBS employee. Really wanted to keep one. Maybe if I stopped walking about like an advert for YES Scotland somebody might give me one.
Lots of half smiles and nods on the streets.
Conversation on a bus between a young mother and her son(holding a YES balloon) as we passed a polling station.
” How come I canny vote”
” Ye need to be sixteen to vote”
” But ahm six”
🙂
People will have seen the sheet linked to earlier with ‘referendum results – expected timing’. In addition to expected declaration time there is a column titled ‘Yes rating’. this is from 0 – 10. Does anyone know what these numbers signify. Obviously there is nowhere where we would expect 0% votes (0) or 100% (10).
I have heard from on high BB that all we need in D&G for an overall YES victory in Scotland is for D&G to get over 30%. That said, I have also heard from someone in D&G who deals with all these statistic thingys that we are currently looking at OVER 42% in D&G! 😛
I don’t want to count my chickens just yet BB but the strain on my leash is almost unbearable! 😉
@ pussy nanacy 2:04pm
Taxi Driver in Glasgow said they were quiet this morning as there was no school runs for them with the Primary Schools being shut, hence how I got one so quick to work this morning.
He said they will be busy tonight taking ballot boxes to the Counting Office (think that would be the SECC) (could be a “Guy down the Pub said..” type story, but happy for anyone to confirm)
So I’m assuming the ballot boxes will be transported in the back of a black hackney. Also assume ( well, hope to god) that surly there will be some sort of security going along with those boxes.
Sorry,
That should read “state controlled media”.
“You’ve been a rock in dark cold seas..”
Rev. Stuart Campbell says: What, a dangerous jagged thing you wouldn’t want to bump into?
Wanting doesn’t come into it but just the thing we all need to keep us awake and alert. Whatever the result don’t abandon the ship.
“Westminster has been a serial abuser of Scotland”
link to wolfstreet.com
I tweeted to Radio Scotland earlier asking why they haven’t mentioned Andy Murray is voting YES.
Just received a text:
@BBCRadioScot: @XXXXXX election laws prevent us from reporting on campaigning today.
So, so happy right now – just been to visit my parents and my Mum, who hasn’t voted in more than twenty years, has been to vote Yes, despite saying right up ’til the beginning of this week that she wasn’t going to vote at all.
My Dad’s been waiting for this all his life, so I knew his vote was never in doubt. 🙂
I’d also like to say thanks so much to Stu, all of the other contributors and all the posters who have help make Wings such a vital part of the whole campaign. Well done to all, whatever happens.
This just in from Morningside … no carnage yet.
whats D&G ?
Jim I assume you are referring to this.
link to twitter.com
I believe the figures 0 to 10 relate to which way the count will go i.e. 0 will go definitely NO whilst 10 will go definitely YES. You can tie this sheet with this other page which makes it a wee bit easier on the eye, I think.
link to vis.oobrien.com
Unfortunately there are a number of counts that are marked up as being a NO winner which from recent conversations with people are NOT going to be a NO win but will be a YES win! My understanding is that Shetland, Orkney, Eilean Siar and probably Highlands are all going to end up YES victories! Whilst none of these counts are particularly large counts they do all add to the final total and more importantly reduce significantly the number of counts NO have any chance of winning! 😛
Dumfries & Galloway. 😉
@Lesley-Anne
I really hope you’re right with that! I think I’m going to end up in tears by the end of this either way. :O
What’s happening in Edinburgh tomorrow? Are people going to the Scottish Parliament? Does anyone know?
I would have thought that the Police would accompany ballot boxes to the “count”. That was how it used to be.
@bookie from hell
whats D&G ?
Dolce & Gabbana, it’s where Lesley-Anne lives.
Thanks ChrisB and Brian W for your answers re ballot box transfers! Much appreciated. Hopefully a Police escort can be mustered up as well!
D&G is Dumfries and Galloway Bookie. 😉
jim
Those expected yes ratings are apparently based on SNP votes at the last election, If that’s true , they will be away off.
The Glasgow count is at emirates arena… not the secc
Rev. Stuart Campbell, thanks for such a beautiful article. One of the best I’ve read and one that utterly sums up why I voted Yes. Partly because of Scotland, but, to be honest, largely because of larger issues you discuss.
Same here BB but I’m no planning on them being tears of sadness! 😛
I live in Kirkcudbright and it’s about fifty fifty here. That’s right, in Kirkcudbright it’s neck and neck. If its that close here, it points to HUGE victory for Yes in Scotland.
Lesley-Anne
For some strange reason that chart is made up from the SNP local election vote in 2012.
Macart
‘kin priceless.
i’ve just been talking to a guy who voted no, saying he did because the work programme, sanctions, etc, as it was not mentioned and all that will still be the same.
so i posted this.
not true i said, still waiting for his reply.
link to scotland.gov.uk
i am very very nervous – worst roller coaster ride i have ever been on – that said i have only been on the one in Landmark near Aviemore – almost reduced to praying – peace to all
@Flower of Scotland
I would imagine people would only turn up at Holyrood in the event of a Yes vote.
To be honest Marcia I never paid that much attention to it. I just thought it seemed to be something that might help calm the nerves of some of us. There again it might do the exact opposite! 😛
Yay! An end to the bloody negativity, having to be relatively polite and moderate posting on the Herald in reply not just to guff from other posters, but the garbage in some articles. And an end to having to be prepared with researched material with links by 3.20 in the morning to try to be first on threads, having got the news from the Scotsman in advance, or elsewhere, Reuters or whatever. Ex-army chiefs saying how dare we vote YES think of all the dead bodies.
Was it all worth it? I think so. I think it needed all of us and the redoubtable Rev Stu and NNS and posters on all forums worldwide to counter the crap media in the UK.
Off to Dundee now to my YES-voting Son. He’s managed to be given two YES T shirts and a big badge for me, and he’s found a pub in Hill Town where it’s £2 a pint for YES supporters! Whooppppeeeeee doo dah.
Good luck to us all. It’s been a fantastic campaign, and I hope we achieved the merely impossible. 75% YES, 25% NO.
Peter Piper
Local councilor told be Galashiels would be 50% plus for YES which is amazing.
Have just given my last W.B.B to a woman at my work , the naysayers had been at her telling her that she would not be able to afford the expensive medicines her Son needed if she voted YES . I think I have managed to reassure her and have asked her to pass the W.B.B on to any of her undecided friends .
Stu , once again many thanks for all your hard work over the last couple of years , the same goes for all posters and lurkers on wings .
Win or lose I hope you have plans for a wings get together where we can all talk about our experiences .
What are everyone’s plans for the result? What time is it likely to be announced at? I’ve heard everything from 4am to 7am!
Not sure whether to go to bed & try to sleep after 10pm, and get up around 3am, though unlikely I’ll sleep! I think I’m too old now though to pull an all-nighter! I don’t want to miss any of the excitement though! My 11yr old has instructed me to wake her up for the result, no matter what the time is!
We have arrived at our moment of destiny. Many thanks to everybodys hard work for getting us to where we are today. Wings really has empowered so so many of the Yes supporters with facts and figures to talk round the undecides/no’s. Cheers Rev and to all the contributors on here. Wings has helped keep the spirits high when the MSM has been trying to suppress our movement.
Lets make history, lets take our chance. Lets vote Yes!!
Scotref twitter trendmap:
link to trendsmap.com
Well if that translates to votes one would have to say ‘landslide’. 😀
Dadsarmy
That pub has a chalked notice at the entrance.
£2 a pint for Yes voters, £20 for No voters.
A thought just occurred to me, will the new Scottish government be able to open the 99 year embargo on the Dunblane Report put in place by Tony and Crash when they were in office?
Radio Jockland are right re Andy. His tweet came after the press purdah. So it’s not in the papers, though they’ve all got it online. Don’t know if the state pravda machine has it online, and not going there, not until it’s GIRFUY time
I voted just before noon at a tiny polling station out in the middle of nowhere in Dumfries and Galloway. There were two very pleasant police officers visiting, and they told the ladies on duty that the polling station at Hightae (a small village, but designated one of the Royal Four Towns for services to Robert the Bruce) had recorded 62 voters before 9.30 this morning. They could hardly believe it.
The ladies told me that turnout in our station had been very good, but they did not give me exact figures.
Mine is one more Yes vote in D&G.
Go, Scotland, go!
Alba gu bràth!
@Dadsarmy
Have a good one dads. 🙂
Funniest event of the day so far here in Brechin – the boards onto which the No Thanks signs were pasted had wet paint, a voter got paint on their best coat!
Tonight as we stand on the cusp of a bright new future, let us pause for one moment and raise a glass to the people who are no longer with us – the countless friends, family, acquaintenances whose devotion to make our country a fairer and better society never wavered. Come on Scotland, lets do it for them as well as for our children and our grandchildren and the countless generations to come
I’m bricking it. Haven’t voted yet as at work.
Surrounded by Nawbags in the office.
One is a Leeching BTL landlord who rents exclusively to benefit claimants – He was always a lost cause.
One says Naw bacause “Yes is too good to be true”. None of us seriously believe it will be shangri-la. I’m voting for my children’ future.
A couple have said “I don’t want to vote yes and have benefits go up – Not with my money”. I don’t know where the hell they get that idea from.
One has voted No and unwilling to dicuss.
There are a few Yessers here and everyone I know socially are Yes.
I just pray these “I’m alright Jacks” are not the majority. I fear a No win more will be the end of us all.
It took India 200 years.
It has taken Scotland 300 years.
But now is the time: ‘Then WE win’.
Handed oot a couple ‘o’ wee blue books tae one undecided & one no, pretty confident ‘o’ the undecided, he’s voting with his daughter the night so hopefully 2 yes’s.
The no voter will prob no even read it but i’ll keep at him.
Power tae the People Brothers & Sisters
Marvellous effort by you and everyone else Dadsarmy. Thanks once again Rev Stu for all your hard work over the last 3 years. Glad and proud to be on Wings. Cybernat rampant! 😀 😀
Just listened to “move any mountain” by The Shamen, calmed my nerves and made me feel very positive about tonight for some reason. Very surreal feel to today, in some ways just another ordinary day, then for brief moments the enormity of it all hits you slap bang in the face.
At the moment Limmy is tweeting about theoretical astrophysics, I’m sure I’m gonna wake up at any moment.
FROM bbc
HE HE In East Renfrewshire, there were queues before the polls opened this morning and a steady stream since, a council spokeswoman said. Some voters have been kissing their ballots, she added.
I hear that the turnout in one of the Castlemilk polling stations has alredy hit 60%, nearly double the turnout of other elections and still over 6 hours to go.
The dug said Naw.
Two barks.
Came fae England.
Can you believe it !
I am doing cartwheels right now. Old family friend came round to round to talk about the referendum. Her husband works in Faslane.
We spoke for around an hour, and my wife (a soft no) argued the case for yes without realising it. Friend left with WBB and a comment that I’d just fortified her own thoughts for a yes.
I am so chuffed.
A massive heartfelt thank you to the Rev. and every single Winger out there.
I’m just one of the many thousands of foot sloggers who have put in the miles canvassing, leafleting, newspapering, lettering and W.B.B.’ing homes around the country. I seldom contribute to the threads here but Wings Over Scotland was always my first port of call after a weekend or evening door-knocking sesh. Your insight and wit and has kept me cheerful and focused throughout the good times and you lifted my spirits when things occasionally appeared difficult.
Whatever the outcome of today’s vote (it’ll be YES!) you guys were magnificent, you won’t be forgotten.
P.S. Anyone else see the two guys in Aberdeen this morning on the Torry Wellington Suspension Bridge with the banner and waiving giant saltires? It fair made us commuters on the Glasgow – Aberdeen train smile.
Manandboy,My dog said YES this morning, now washed and brushed up for tomorrow, and he too is half English, Wheatley Hill, County Durham but his Dad came from Ohio so there is a bit of rebel there.
Just a couple of the positive tweets I’ve seen…
Lady in tears of joy in Kirkcaldy “My 38 yearkld son went to vote no. Came back home crying he couldnt do it and voted Yes ” wow
My Da, who has been a strong Labour No voter, changed his mind an hour before he left for the polling station today and voted Yes. So proud.
Dad’s army
Thank you and well done you….I always found your Herald comments entertaining, informative and enlightening and definitely required reading. Thank you also Rev Stu and Wingers for your dedication, humour, courage and inspiration!!
@Nana
‘tears of joy’.
A life affirming experience you might say. 🙂
Castlemilk 60%
If that is the case all over Scotland in the poorer areas.
We’ve done it.
Keep it up.
Let’s smash the bastards and imprint a saltire on their arse as they run back to Westminster.
This waiting is hell, and we haven’t even got to the counting stage yet. To relieve the boredom…
In Aberdeenshire we don’t have the same number of Yes/No signs around as some other places because the councils policy is not to allow them on their property. This has been pretty much adhered to by both camps, with the exception of a few small signs, on stakes, in the grass road verges. These have only popped up in the last few days. This morning I’d to laugh as I approached a roundabout on the A96 at Kintore with one of these signs on it, a small ‘No’ one, that wasn’t there yesterday. Problem was it was stuck in upside down so actually read ‘ON’.
This confirms what I heard from a friend;
link to twitter.com
@marcia – spoke to 4 elderly (75+) Castlemilk residents recently – typical Labour voters – they’d thought it through and all four are voting YES
Booked a holiday in Marocco without realising it would clash with the vote. My postal vote has been in for weeks. Results among the Scots in my Riad is 100% Yes, all voted by post and all staying up through the night. Sieze the day!
Great piece here from Richie Venton:
link to richieventon.blogspot.co.uk
A little something to knock your socks of
Go to link to trendsmap.com
and watch today trending across the entire planet (you may need to zoom out to get the planet in)
It shows tweets that show either #voteyes, #yesscotland, #voteyesscotland as YES in pale blue and #voteno, #bettertogether, #nothanks as No in red
I will not tell you what you will see, but it will make your day as the whole world is tweeting from North America, across to South America, to Australia and the far east to darkest Africa. And of course Europe and Britain 😀
@scunner
Take heart and vote as you intend.
If even half the stories that have been posted are true (and I’m certain they all are) at least a few of your workmates will be voting YES.
@nana and others.
Your tales of events have had me with a lump in my throat and wet eyes a few times already, tissues are being sneakily used by me.
She who must be obeyed has noticed and has left me in the kitchen to recover by myself. “What did you expect to happen”? she says. 🙂
Oh dear just spoke to a carer who said she wanted to vote yes in her heart but her head said no and she went with her head. She was pretty undecided this morning and it was a last minute decision. I spoke to her for 10 minutes, remembering all I had gleaned from this website and others and as she left she said ‘I wished had spoken to you first, I would have voted yes’. Could have cried.
Hi all Wingers…haven’t had a chance to call in for a while due to canvassing etc. Bit late but I thought this JFK speech, which he was due to give in Dallas, but didn’t for obvious reasons, was worth passing on (forgive if somebody has already quoted it.)
‘This country is moving and it must not stop. It cannot stop. For this is a time for courage and a time for challenge. Neither conformity nor complacency will do.’
So chew on that Obama, you Uncle Tom you.
A massive heartfelt thank you to the Rev. and every single Winger out there.
I’m just one of the many thousands of foot sloggers who have put in the miles canvassing, leafleting, newspapering, lettering and W.B.B.’ing homes around the country. I seldom contribute to the threads here but Wings Over Scotland was always my first port of call after a weekend or evening door-knocking sesh. Your insight and wit and has kept me cheerful and focused throughout the good times and you lifted my spirits when things occasionally appeared difficult.
Whatever the outcome of today’s vote (YES!) you guys were magnificent, you won’t be forgotten.
P.S. Anyone else see the two guys in Aberdeen this morning on the Torry Wellington Suspension Bridge with the banner and waiving giant saltires? It fair made us commuters on the Glasgow – Aberdeen train smile.
Panama – the world’s happiest place! Panama overtakes Denmark as the happiest place in the world according to the Guardian. So it won’t be so bad after all if we don’t get a currency uion and have to be like PANAMA!
link to tinyurl.com
@call me dave
Ach Dave my hanky all sooky, having to resort to loo roll soon!
@Edward
Great googly moogly, I see what you mean.
Wow 😮
This could be quite historic.
Turnout so far close to 80 per cent. Polling station in Muirhouse ‘exceeding its 2010 turnout by 9.30 this morning’
This is my favourite tweet so far…
link to twitter.com
@Edward
WOW so most of the #bettertogether activity is over London? Little joy for the NO vote on the map I managed to see. Are all the NOs really not on the web? WOW.
On Rt.com’s coverage of referendum there is a map showning social media activity re Yes No campaign from 10 Sept to 18 Sept. If it was translated to votes it would be a romp for Yes.
Sorry can do links etc Luddite
Are there exit polls going on with this or are we just guessing and hoping with the % amounts in areas? 😉
Don’t want to get too excited…
would be good to know – or would it;-)
I appreciate that emotions are running high, but calling Obama an uncle Tom is not acceptable.
agreed – as someone posted during the week “calm it”
Doug McGregor, that would be fantastic – something stinks there and Lord Robertson and T.Blair know it.
Thanks to all but especially to the the Rev.
… and I believe making love will also feel much better in an independent Scotland.
Nana Smith
Comments on that twitter link referring to postal votes in Kirkcaldy and Glenrothes. Something not right.
I voted just after 7 this morning. Polling station was already busy.
After being handed the YES / NO voting slip. I walked over to the booth, put it down a looked at it for a minute or two, not quite believing what was in front of me.
It was akin to seeing my daughter for the very first time. I felt both joyous and nervous. Here in front of me is a person that I will have a responsibilty for the rest of my life.
That wee piece of white paper had the same effect, but only now it is not for me but, for the generations yet to come.
History in the making and it all comes down to this.
I took a deep steadying breath, picked up the pencil, pressing hard down and put the X where it should be “YES”.
Then went to work… and boy did that feel good.
E-mailed my English no voting collegue. Zee Cybergnat has voted and she say YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSS!
Last night in George Square: joyous scenes of spontaneous Scottishness. One elderly lady stood beside me on a plinth in order to photograph the vast crowd, She turned with tears in her eyes and muttered ‘I cannae believe this is actually happening’.
Me too missus.Me too. Met and shook hands with the brave young woman who climbed the Rock at Edinburgh Castle and hung the Saltire to mock those ("Tractor" - Ed)s marching below.
True bravery and inspiration contrasting with the ragged band of scum, appropriately skulking outside the Shitty Chambers of Slab Towers. These jackals turned up to sneer at the true Scotland…a country of diversity and fairness gathered in the SQuare.
White, black, yellow and all colours inbetween bedecked with the hues of our nation. Overwhelmingly young now…allowing us oldies to confidently hand over the reigns for the work ahead.
Let us pray that truth, justice and democracy are at work today and that the promise of the last two years culminates in our Freedom.
REAL BIG HISTORY IN THE MAKING NOW!
Thanks for everything, Rev Stu.
John Sm
very well done for all your foot soldiering
we have needed every hand to the pump so to speak
A “VERY BIG WELL DONE” to each and every one who has either cajoled, bored to tears, encouraged, coerced & begged to vote for our independence,
without the people we are nothing
syd
just seen the twitter trend map posted above.
i bet camerons thumbs are sore.
from all that tweeting i hasten, to add.
🙂
Nana, I want to thank you for the links and updates you constantly provide here, you are my ‘latest news’ source over these months, always interesting, often humorous, factual and reliable. Just wonderful, thank you. 🙂
I would like to say thank you to Stuart and the team for all the hard work and research you have done during this campaign, it has been second to none and I really believe if it had not been for you and all the other sites we wouldn’t have had a chance in hell, I know we don’t know the results yet but I’m confident we will win, best wishes to you all and thanks again from an old lady.
Thanks Muttley! If a yes, Edinburgh here I come!
Edward… That’s amazing! It’s great to know all these people are thinking about us! It’s the same on Facebook. Best wishes for a YES from all over the world! We must do this!
saw the pic of piper craigmillar with voters
brilliant
I second that k1 thanks muchly nana AYE I’ve voted YES
Dorothy Devine:
You mean nobody ever Googled Paedophilia? Stick in a few names of the Government around that time + Paedophilia and see who comes up. No wonder that D List was embargoed for 100 Years because it would have finished Tony Blair, his Government and the Iraq invasion! Don’t know if any of it is true but it sure does make sickening reading. Especially the Dunblane part!
Whats happening in Kircaldy?
Voted, Blue pen used. The scum outside were distracted by some people in wheelchairs so didn’t have to resort to self defence.
Did give the NO sign a good boot as I went past. Shame it wasn’t Goebbel’s Brown’s face but I’ve done my bit.
Big Jock
Seemingly people been turned away, with the reason being given that they have voted by post when they havent voted at all.
Well, I got dressed up in my best togs today and went out to vote in Selkirk. I made sure I pressed very firmly with the pencil to make my mark. There’s no way anyone can rub out that one without being noticed. 🙂
I dunno, I expected to feel some sort of euphoria after voting, but I didn’t. It felt more like slipping in to a warm bath after a long day. All the tension and stress of the last couple of years has finally started to slip away. Here’s hoping there’s some melted cheese on toast waiting for me when I open the bathroom door in the early hours of tomorrow morning and not the sight of some mouse running off with my cheese after shitting all over the bread.
Anyhoo, like others, let me send my thanks to the Rev for all his hard work over the last couple years and all those who have provided articles for WoS. Their work unpicking the lies and searching for the truth has set us all free, regardless of the result of the referendum. Seek ye the truth and the truth shall set you free a book says. In a future Scotland, so long as we keep seeking the truth and keep telling the truth, it will keep us all free.
Finally let me thank all those that have commented on WoS. At times I have raged at some comments and cried at others. At times when I have commented I have used some harsh language and said some truly unforgivable things. For that which I have said, I apologise. I have learned much from WoS, not just about politics and the like, but about what ordinary, yet extraordinary people can do. Most of all I have learned much about myself. I have been on this planet for almost fifty years and I have done little with it. However much time I have left, I will spend it trying to be a better person. I will spend it trying to make a better Scotland, a better world.
Thank you for taking the time to read this. I just needed to say it.
The best of life to us all.
Colin MacNeil
Blimey 7:15 seems a long time ago now.
No idea how things are going, being stuck at the coal face, and obviously one worries that we might fall at this final hurdle – especially as I am sure the panic stricken promises of the last couple of weeks will prove to be undeliverable lies.
Don’t fall for it Scotland – Vote Yes.
[…] link to wingsoverscotland.com […]
Check out the Dateline Scotland Referendum Special.
Sorry, no links, using the gizmo and cannae see the screen, again. When you’re on the twitter trend thingy have a look t the tweets down the side. Tell me you’re no greetin’…
@I’veNeverSeenBraveheart I thkink it was the Herald said the first result would be announced about 1.30 am, might be a poster here though.
@Marcia £20 for NO voters 🙂 They can afford it!
@macart and @muttley79 Have a good hopefully celebration!
I forgot to say thanks to all for all the upvotes in the Herald. It gives you heart to keep on going, burning the night oil, spending far more time than is good for the health of the absence of wealth!
Dear wingers,
I am a long time lurker so although I’ve never posted I feel part of the community. Thanks so much for all your hard work, dedication, good humour and for posting so many great links.
I feel compelled to comment today. I am an emotional wreck but happy. I think we’re doing it! Been on the verge of tears several times today.
Spent over an hour on the phone last night talking to my best mate’s brother who is now Yes. That is why we are winning. One on one talking to our friends and family. They know we are not crazy cybernats!
And Stu, thanks. I hope your talents get the recognition they deserve.
David.
@K1
Thank you.
I have to say the I just love this site and have a tremendous pride in every Yesser who regularly post and those I know are maybe a wee bit shy.
It took me quite some time to find my own confidence.
@Mary Vasey
It’s been a pleasure Mary.
Dateline Scotland Special/ Link
link to youtube.com
Thanks les
I voted at my local primary at 2pm and there was already a 45% turn out. I am the Yes polling agent from 6 till 8pm I hope there will still be some votes left to cast! 🙂
Glad I persuaded a friend from the Glenrothes area to cancel her postal vote and to vote in person.
Good luck everyone.
And a huge thanks to the Rev. Stu Campbell
So wait a minute has someone already voted for the Kirkcaldy people by post. Christ they were involved in the last postal vote rigging is this a real story!
Tweet from
Lesley Riddoch @LesleyRiddoch · 22m
Just been told by Italian journo that rest of Europe sees Scotland as heroes – standing up to a bankrupt, corrupt establishment.
A fine mission statement Rev,and you along with many others contributors like the SNP and YES Scotland, have helped give us this chance, not forgetting the other yes clubs who can be found here.
link to republicofscotland.com
I feel we’ll win and you’ll be covering and writing on the negotiations between Westminster and Holyrood so will many others. One thing is for sure though Scots have changed and are more aware of politics and other subjects, and that must be a good thing.
I left the polls at Polwarth, Edinburgh at 4pm and the presiding officer said that 1400 of 3200 ballots had been used… but this didn’t include the postal ballots. So he reckoned that 50 % had been reached with still six hours to go.
Thank you each and everyone we have changed the Scottish electoral system forever and for the better for everyone whether they appreciate it or not. There is no going back. The people are in charge now.
I am going nowhere I will be ready willing and watchful. If you want to be a politician in Scotland you had better keep your eye on the people.
I wonder how many people who voted No by post are now regretting it.
I suspect, by the way, that the internet fibre / copper in Scotland isn’t coping with the demand of the referendum!
incredible emotions reading the rev’s article and all the comments – put some together to encourage the Undecideds that people are talking about on the grounds that every little helps and an emotional plea may convince where others haven’t link to eurofree3.wordpress.com
Hope it’s a landslide victory for YES
Big Jock
Read comments on this link
link to twitter.com
Just had five kids at the door. They brought me a yes hat since I wad a yes voter. Ages between 6 and 10. Very proud of our kids. No quite bubbling, but nearly.
Edinburgh Council – 89.6% of postal votes returned.
That must be a record, must be.
No voter (presumably!) knocked over the Yes poster in the street in Craiglockhart. Tension at fever pitch.
Posted this already!
Thanks Muttley, if a yes I’m going to the Scottish parliament tomorrow
That was great Edward seeing all the tweets from all over the world! Lots of Facebook messages too from World wide!
Vote rigging in Fife is not a new phenomenon!! Hope they get it seen to today!!
Wingers YES is 6.2 on Betfair due to big bucks going on No from English Tories. Spoke to William Hill this am and they took over £2,000 yesterday in one Ayrshire betting shop – All YES. Friend of mine spoke to Alex Salmond yesterday and he’s confidently predicting a WIN for YES. Also Senior Management in IPSIS Mori are admitting that polling info used by them out of date – and they only phone people with landlines. Grab some money on Betfair to pay expenses!
Coming home from Work in Franc, listening to RTL2 on the Radio.
The French DJ just said: ‘Scotland has its rich culture, whisky and proud people. If I was Scottish I would be voting YES. Good luck Scotland.’
Brought a huge smile to my face.
I well remember the feelings of gloom and despondency after the 1979 referendum, and don’t want to experience that again. Even 1997 was something of a roller-coaster but confidence was higher.
For neither of these was social media available. It is sites like Wings, Bella, Newsnet, Wee Ginger Dug, Scot Goes Pop and all the others that have made the difference, along with Tweets, links and videos of what is actually happening on the ground. No longer can we be conned and kept in the dark like buried bones.
Thankfully the Yes side was into the potential and the benefits of social media early on, and built on that, allowing the spread of information, rebuttals and nurturing a feeling of being part of a large, extended family who supported and encouraged one another. The No side relied on the MSM and BBC and missed what was building from the grassroots up to become a swelling tide which, fingers crossed, will take us to victory in the early hours of tomorrow morning.
This is our third referendum. We won the other two (even the 1979 result was a win, though it failed the 40% rule). Let’s ensure it’s third time lucky again, folks. We can do this. We must do this. I’m voting Yes when we go to the polling station shortly.
Already had a phone call from a lovely Welshman from YES HQ and now RIC chappin at my door. Awesome stuff.
@ one less day – Thanks for remembering about the windaehingin and its going well. The pace has picked up at the Woodside Polling Station and instead of two by two I see bunches goin into the Ark for salvation. Am also hearin that the match at Tillydrone Polling Station is noisy with a YES agent drawing crowds into the bosom. Apparently he used to work in the Barras, Glasgow. 🙂
like a lot of others voted this morning, and now nervous as hell.
What the hell is going on in Kirkcaldy? We aye suspected jiggery pokery. If I turned up and was told that I had already voted by post, I would have called the police. These postal votes should be disqualified. There must be numbers on the postal votes etc that makes them traceable. Someone should do time for this electoral fraud. If you cannae win the argument, jist cheat. Scum, absolute scum.
Anyway, thanks to Rev Stu, we widnae be here without all your hard work, telling us the truth when the meeja wis telling lies.
A big thank you also to Ronnie,wear your gold wings with pride,kendomacaroon bar, Thepnr,Muttley79. Heid troll eater and femme fatale, the fragrant Paula Rose. Marcia for polls, nana for all the links and the Village Idiot in cheif and soon to be Queen of Scots, Lesley-Anne.All of the wingers have worked so hard and kept each other going when it got rough at times.
Bottle of malt ready and waiting, cheers to all of us, cheers Scotland.
Hail Albu Gu snooker loopy!
Edward
Just saw the world tweeting and caught my breath. Canny see now got dirt in my aye.
back the noo
To NANNY SMITH
I agree it’s a grand ‘tweet’, with Alex and the Wee lady.
The last time we saw something of GORDON BROWN conversing with a lady on the “HUSTINGS”, ( remember Mrs Boyle ), he referred to her as “THAT BIGOTED WOMAN”,
That is the difference between our Alex and that man Brown. They do say a picture is worth a thousand words.
OUR Alex has related to everybody in that manner all you have to do is ask for a selfie and he will oblige. As my son and grandson can attest to.
Alex Salmond is a fine human being.
I canna stand it, where’s the Wings emergency kitten when you need it? I’m going to sleep for a while, get rid of this headache.
I particularly enjoyed this tweet on the trends map
“what will Scotland do when the oil runs out?”
I don’t know ask England, theirs runs out tomorrow
Salmond welcomes Andy Murray’s yes endorsement is mention in the Independent today.
I’m a noob here, and don’t know if you peeps want links from MSM, so if not, you can delete.
Cheers
Here’s the link:
link to independent.co.uk
Swami Backverandah
good to see it.
🙂
After 2+ years of meetings, leafleting and myriad discussions, I did the deed quick. I knew if I stopped in the booth to think about what I was doing I might be overcome by the significance of it.
I wandered outside and scarcely got through the door before I could feel the tears welling up. I’ve waited a lifetime for that moment and I’m proud of those almost-tears. Sat down beside a chap probably in his 80s. He was telling me this was the first time ever that we’d had a choice. That brought a smile, he didn’t know I’d been leafleting etc that area for 2+ years and had probably delivered most of the Yes stickers and posters that plastered windows in the surrounding housing scheme. I can’t say they wouldn’t have voted Yes anyway, but I felt I’d contributed in my own limited way. As each and everyone of you have too in each and all of your ways.
Right now, I’m afraid to dare to be confident for the country as whole to vote Yes.
Any mention of that Police Federation admonishment/warning to Media/politicians in the actual press? I haven’t seen any. Surprise! – Not. Murphy was on BBC2 last night and launched straight into “intimidation and aggression” as I was reading that SPF release. Feck feck feck. P45 for Murphy tomorrow am … . We hope we hope we hope.
Any news re Kirkcaldy/Glenrothes? Can’t find anything anywhere other than the already linked twitter comments.
Just texted a friend who’s a polling agent in Kirkcaldy, texted him and waiting for a reply
Like so many who have already posted on here today I too would like to add my appreciation to the Rev and to all of the stalwarts who have posted over the last year. The enthusiasm and positivity has kept me going when feeling low after being exposed to the MSM stories. Fingers crossed for later.
Now my wife gets a phone call from the “Liberal Democrats”. It is a London number and the wifey had a bool in her moth.
Call me naughty but I think these are Tories phoning from London and think the LibDems are less toxic than the Tories,
Desperate times? They do not realise they are now as “popular ” as the Tories!
Edward 3.30
Thanks for the Twitter Trends link – the world, and especially Scotland is Blue with YES tweets. (But lots of red NO’s in England). Reading the tweets brought a few tears!
I’m on my way back to Angus just now but my daughter has already voted YES for me by proxy. (my 3 daughters and their husbands have all voted YES – 7 more YES’s towards 50.1%)
Ok time for some objectivity regarding the Kirkcaldy/Glenrothes story or rumour
Where exactly has this story come from
If its word of mouth, as in a friend of a friend told a pal who knew someone. Then its a rumour and possibly wrong
If it is actually attributable to a reliable source as in someone on the spot , then its a story
Listen to me – the Daily Planet news editor 😀
Where is Stu, when you need him with this kind of thing 😉
Unbelievably at this stage in the day I have just converted another undecided 🙂 went oot for milk and the lassie in the shop saw my badge and said she wasn’t sure what to vote, well she is sure noo 😀
On the calls that some are receiving from London as to how you voted.
Suggest having some fun with them
Make anything up, say you had to vote No as Gordon Brown is holding your Granny to ransom 🙂
Ask them how the weather is
or you can get serious and ask them why they are calling you
George Square Live feed on Youtube. Quite busy already.
link to youtube.com
The word here in East Ren is that the vote is getting out. Might not be won in Clarkston or Giffnock but we’re gonnae make sure it ain’t no Dependency walkover. If we keep it close here then Castlemilk will take us over the line…a microcosm for Scotland? I just about held it together in the booth. Stood for a full minute staring at the ballot – couldn’t get my head round how stark and simple the words were. That X on Yes was the best moment of my whole life save my kids being born. We went as a family. Popped the paper in the box. Kissed my weans. Got home. Started reading this thread. Burst oot bloody greetin. So many heartfelt posts i had to do my own. I think the pollster got this wrong. Again. Big time.
Love and hope to all.
James
I have tuned to yew choob to get me through the day. Bit of watery eye stuff today.
Also had posts deleted on a camping website ????
They did allow the no posts though.
Don’t know if I will last til 6 am
Going to have to show my true colours now…
Voted YES – what did you expect?
Thanks to Stu, the contributors and all the Wingers. We are going to make history!
@ewen
Me too. did you listen to ‘Yes is the way’
I had a wee hand in that one.
some rumour for the mill:
link to liverpoolecho.co.uk
I saw yer name ???? and ninjapenguin. My youngest knows most of the songs off by heart.
Been trying to find more info but twitter link only thing I can find, although im not on twitter or facebook.
link to twitter.com
Heres the link again
Greetings from Canada! We hope & pray for YES Scotland 🙂
This is YOUR chance! Carpe Diem!
does a high turnout fav YES or NO?
Gordon Brown, has had a long and close association with the Labour Party in Glasgow. The Labour run Glasgow City Council seems to have a problem with corruption, cronyism, scandal and waste, whereby by a remote and out of touch self serving elite, yes, both Councillors & Officials, together run the city as there own private thiefdom, at the expense of the people of Glasgow.It is a shocking state of affairs, which shows the problem of one party rule. The Labour Party has controlled Glasgow almost uninterrupted, since 1933.
link to caltonjock.com
left Rochsolloch school in Airdrie. At 3 pm there was over 40% voted.
her indoors says its a first class jam jar in the photo, right after her own heart.
2 yes votes and thank you stu. we are praying for the miracle.
What do you do if you get to polling station and they either say you’ve voted there or by post.
First INSIST on getting special voting paper and fill it in. They will be kept separate, and I am afraid will not be looked at unless the result is close Not sure if this would be national or for the district. In that case, they can either anull the election and do it again or, I think, they can find the dodgy paper and replace it.
Second report it to the policeman on the station and go to your local or regional police station and report it there. INSIST on getting a crime number. The police hate investigating polling fraud: it’s difficult and not seen as “real” crime.
Third, if you can (they should be published along with the returns, but you might have to ask. Threaten a FOI appeal if they seem reluctant), find out how many such cases there were and kick up a stink in the local press. If you can get half a dozen people on regional TV complaining about their vote being stolen, this could be quite big news.
What the parties who do this rely on is that they have lists of people who’ve never voted at any election for years. If they do this this time they’re going to be caught out big time as the turnout is going to be high
god bless the people of Scotland too make the right choice
Caroline
Are BT allowed to bus people in on polling day? Is this within the rules? Is England not a foreign country at the moment?
Just had a push message from Betfred offering 2/11 on yes!!! What do they know?
@ bookie from hell
Nobody really knows. It seems logical to suppose that a high turnout includes large numbers of people who do not normally vote, and I personally find it unlikely that folk have suddenly be energised in support of the status quo: that could have happened if large number believed it was under threat but until very recently the polls said otherwise. However a very large group registered very late, and so that could be in play.
But a large turnout is good for democracy whatever it means
link to thestar.com
Andy
Just off oddschecker to see if books still open. Seem pretty much unchamged which is bizare. Put on enough to cover crowd funding activities for campaign with some left over for a wee swallie with my very tolerant wife (obsessive is the phrase I think she uses) and drop some to the local foodbank. Net net about 500. Some have no odds up so guess they have closed.
As I have a postal vote, being disabled, put my cross in right box ages ago but wanted to take it to polling station myself. Can’t believe it but had tears running down my cheeks coming out…… Wonderful & amazing AYE
Nana Smith
that’s what i thought 55% perhaps even more, but we have to wait see.
🙂
Just seen a grumpy looking Jim Murphy is his car in Clarkston!
Loads of thanks to the Rev and all who contributed. I’ve been Yes for Indy since knee high to ,well you know. This site gave me the ammunition to push people towards Yes.
Like another comment I know I voted and I know I voted yes, can’t remember a thing.
Hope and pray that reports are correct.
Mind you if a very close no then we should demand the 1913 scottish home rule bill be passed and made law.
Gives us a lot more power than we’ve got, even after the laughable “new powers”.
Someone call Police Scotland about the “irregularities” in Kirkcaldy
Justin Ross
On what grounds?
Because of rumour?
I have just voted – welling up putting my cross in the Yes box, Wife and Daughter with me voting Yes too. 3 more for Yes – we have to do this!
My daughter just came in and told me she took her 16 y/o neighbour to the polling station to cast her 1st vote, to be told you’ve already cast you vote by post,
and so it begins.
Possibly the best video of the campaign. A must view before you vote
link to facebook.com
My uncle died at 8.30 this morning after being taken in to hospital last night. So sorry he isn’t here to see the result he’d been hoping for all his life.
A day of destiny to be sure! To live in this country, at this point in time…is a damn honour and a privilege. To have a dream and yearning of a lifetime actually…possibly happen is breathtaking. The debate has lasted a while and during that time strangers have reached out to each other and talked. We have nudged ourselves out of our closeted personal spaces and engaged with those around us. Sometimes to agree and marvel at a shared dream or to debate and agree to disagree in a peaceable manner. And during that time we have drawn closer to each other. No matter what the outcome is, I hope we can maintain this connection to our fellow scots. We are going to need each other’s support in anycase!
Thank you Wings for being there and THANK YOU for the WBB! Your hard work has inspired many to get off their backsides and join in.
@Mary Vasey.
Those tears of joy cant wipe away
Those tears of joy are here to Stay.
I am hearing that people have been turned away in Kirkcaldy from folk on here, so I re-posted something about what to do in that case on fb, and someone is telling me folk were also turned away from Glenrothes. Verrrrrry suspicious.
Again, it was that they voted by post. The whole postal thing really stinks and should be much better policed from start to finish. How have these postal votes got into the hands of different people to those that should have them?
What is the mechanism by which people can apply for a vote in the name of someone else and they are not found out?
We need to know numbers who have not been able to vote because of this.
Was at Holyrood this morning and in front of it was swarming with foreign media and huge numbers of people with YES badges including Catalans, Basques, you name it. Guy had even painted large YES’s in white paint over his parked car.
Al the way up Royal Mile were absolutely loads of people wearing YES badges, waving Saltires, cars tooting horns, again you name it – everyone smiling and even two young YES women singing “we shall overcome” – absolutely buzzing with excitement and anticipation.
Only saw 3 or 4 NO badge carriers who all looked very glum.
Jeez I sure hope its a YES otherwise I don’t want to even contemplate what a NO vote will do to these happy smiling YES people.
Apologies to David Bowie:
We can be heroes
For ever and ever
If we can be heroes
Just for one day!
Job done – vote cast. Wore a kilt and YES beanie to the polling station 😉
If thats true Caroline they will have made a fatal mistake if they think were going to sit back and take it,
BIG MISTAKE!
link to theguardian.com As much as I like Eck, I probably havent thought about his airse and probably noone’s thought as much about his bum as this git.
If they do lose “their” Scotlandland, its down in no small part to complete and utter very rude words like England’s newspapers, but they’ll all blame a very fat man in Blysthwood Square doontoon Glasgow and rightly so:D
Caroline Corfeild says
“I re-posted something about what to do in that case on fb, and someone is telling me folk were also turned away from Glenrothes.”
Can you tell me what the advice is in that situation Caroline?
Postal votes would have to be delivered to an address. Would it not be easy to find out by name where these “cashed” votes were delivered to and find the imposters. Am I missing something here? Did those affected actually ask for a postal vote that didn’t arrive? Also second hand accounts and no “it has happened to me”. Need facts.
I am a Welsh nationalist living in Wales.
You guys have had me in tears of excitement since I got up this morning and read Stu’s words.
Best of luck to all of you.
I can only dream of the day when I might be 12 hours away from waking in an independent Wales!
droves of Merseyside Labour politicians bused into Glasgow and other parts of Scotland to support the flagging ‘No’ campaign, urging Scotland not to abandon the union during today’s historic vote.
Causing trouble at voting sites. disruption in mind. see the report
link to liverpoolecho.co.uk
Frank Berger, well said, great comment thank you
Just voted YEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSS !!!
Fingers crossed. I’d cross my legs too, but it would ruin the spring in my step 🙂
Ken
A reminder to voters yet to vote. If you seen any police officers right beside the doors of a polling station, who could be seen as an intimidating presence please report this to one of the polling officials inside.
The police are there to keep order only if required. They are NOT there to look intimidating to first time voters or anyone else entering the polling station. The police should be well away from the doors and keeping their presence visible when needed but NOT intimidatory.
link to fifetoday.co.uk
Who’d a thunk it! PV fraud in Kirkaldy and Glenrothes? Never!
Police Scotland’s finest should be hammering on certain doors right now if there’s even a smigin of possibility of PV fraud.
Let’s start from the premise that if PV fraud is possible it will be getting done and even if there is a landslide YES victory, heads should roll big time. No more whitewashes accepted!
The postal vote can only be sent to the address of the person residing in the area where they normally vote surely?
So if Joe Soap residing at 10 Noname Street, in Noname Town finds he is going to be away, he applied for a postal vote and the ballot paper is sent to his address at 10 Noname Street, in Noname Town . It should not go to any other address.
Now as we know the system is not fool proof
We really need more information concerning this before jumping up and down. We need hard facts. Such as if its only affecting a single polling station or multiple polling stations within a district.
@ Greannach So sorry to hear of your loss.
@ Caroline Corfield Completely agree that we need numbers and some sort of proof – as Edward says. Why isn’t anyone in authority commenting on this though? Until we hear something real, we can make no assumptions. But it certainly makes the waiting all the more filled with anxiety.
Just do it, take your future in your bare hands! Miro (in the name of the lots of yes supporters from Slovenia).
Did anyone gets a decent night’s sleep last night? I did not, and I want to stay up tonight until I know the result (which will probably be at 5am ish). I am going to have to rely on STV’s Live Player again, which is not ideal given my previous experiences with it, but there you go.
@ Greannach
I am so sorry my friend.
Come on scotland
Greannach
Condolences to you and your family mate.
Let’s do this for all who have gone before us !
@Iain Gray’s Subway Lament
And what are the rules on aggressive canvassing from bussed up Labour (Liverpool branch)? Are they allowed anywhere near polling stations and is there a limit to representatives of one side within any area?
I don’t know you, but I share thoughts of hope with all of you.
My vote has been made, and I have voted YES for this nation of many wonderful things.
Stuart, you are a dedicated leader, and one who holds truth dearly. You tended and nurtured our nebulous thoughts and aspirations which have grown steadily into decisive action.
Sincere and grateful thanks.
Didn’t sleep last night, not looking likely for tonight either! Never felt like this before…
Did something today that I have waited almost 50 years to do. I voted to make my beloved country free. Like many of you, I had to “zone out” during the process, otherwise my tears would have soaked the ballot paper.
Just think, tomorrow I could be talking to my English friends and family as an equal.
So much to say, so much is being felt. My heart is bursting.
And now off to bed for a few hours kip so we can do the all-nighter.
“it’s a beautiful day, hey hey, it’s a beautiful day.”
It’s a sign I tell you….. just went down to vote and met well known egg and spoon performer Jim Murphy who is in my street as we speak trying to charm the Labour diehards. I don’t think he’s finding many out there voting No. No Irn Bru crates were harmed either.
So why would the ” lib-dems ” be calling asking how you voted three hours before the end of polling?
My nerves are shredded. My body is filled with cortisone from the nerves. I will feel a mixture of joy and relief if we win. Can’t even go running tonight too nervous. I have a CD with flower of Scotland ready to play and will pour a malt to toast our new nation. Its just the scariest thing ever hoping your countrymen and women do the right thing. This is it guys the biggest moment of my life. Never thought it would be this close. Scotland has a chance to destroy the establishment and create an earthquake of sheer joy.
I shower and shave then look out my good suit, reserved normally for weddings funerals and interviews, a clean sharp shirt and tie. Usually, I’m a bit of a scruff, but this is one of those special occasions.
I pin my badge to the lapel and pull on a pair of yellow socks with ‘reasons to be cheerful’ running in the back of my head.
I skip the interview shoes for the one other pair that can pass for smart, As I want to feel completely comfortable in what I am about to do. A double espresso and a deep breath and I step out into the sunny day.
More posters on the windows than last night and as I turn the corner into the main road ever third person is sporting a yes badge and they are smiling. I make the conscious decision to carefully cross the road at the traffic lights, this is the very worst time I could be hit by a bus, but I run across before I reach them anyway.
Two thirds of the way to Hillhead primary I muse on George Galloway’s legacy here. I meet my neighbours and their kids, they have just voted and still, everybody is smiling, the sun is shining. Another neighbour loudly (as is his way) banters with the police on the way in to the station, even they are grinning.
The polling clerks are cheery and the number of names crossed off fill more than half the sheet in front of me. Another deep breath and it’s done, there’s no feeling of anti-climax as I walk home.
I walk round the block and count the posters as I have done most nights with the dog for the last few weeks. The windows say 48 yes to 10 no but the pessimist on my shoulder reminds me that there are as many as 7000 flats on this block. Do these other people have an opinion I wonder , could they be the multitude of shy no’s we are told about, like my partner who thinks that politics should not be discussed – ever for risk of upsetting somebody?
I’ve jeopardised my relationship and most likely any financial stability as a result in order to make a very small contribution to the campaign and I ‘ve done it for my daughter who’s not old enough to vote yet, I don’t see her as much as I’d like these days. I’ve done what I can and failed at it for the most part, not catastrophically but enough to feel the guilt. I got a lot of things right as well and can say I’m proud, not of a country, something that I didn’t really have an input to but of the fantastic, witty, caring, clever 14 year old who will be part of the future of this country.
Who knows what tomorrow will bring, tonight I’ll stand and watch the count and hope we have done this, hoping that the short tem chaos we will undoubtedly have to bear will be worth it and will far outweigh the long slow festering decay that a no vote will result in.
I was cynically asked what I would do in the event of a no vote and in event of a yes vote. I couldn’t truly answer either, whichever way the answer will not be “nothing” we have to make this a better place, no idea how, that’s a question I’ll work out next week, until then I will concentrate on one thing, when the last vote is counted I’ll celebrate or sulk, sleep and reserve what to do next for Monday.
I’ve only made a tiny contribution, when able, nothing compared to the many of you who have done so much with your time and own money.
Win or loose, Thank you
New media for a new Scotland…
link to youtube.com
Heard that a polling station in Falkirk is closed with 100% of folk already turned out, if its true, that’s remarkable.
greennach that’s desperate, mate. So sorry. Hope tomorrow brings some small consolation to you and yours.
Phoned the wife home from offshore at tea time, seemingly a bit of a stooshie outside Lossiemouth town hall, police called after the postmaster(post office across the road from the hall) was up in arms about YES campaigners putting a board up on the pavement. I wonder what way he is voting as an ex Forces Englishman, I’m led to believe that several locals told him that he would no longer receive their custom, and the police insisted that the sign never went up, in our own country……. Absolutely disgraceful!!
Anybody seen this – #FuckOffScotland – trending on twitter?
My daughter was born 30/4/97. The following day there wasn’t a Tory MP left in Scotland. The SNP came to power a few days after her 10th birthday, and acheived their historic majority just after her 14th.
She’s now 17 and was excited and beaming this morning as she filled in a ballot paper for the first time. This campaign has made her feel like she and her generation are genuinely in control of their future, in a way I don’t think any of us have ever truly felt.
She’s a good luck charmer, and I couldn’t be more proud.
if its a NO
in 20 years time
no currency union/its our pound
nightmare
( : > )
57 years of age and I have never been so emotional going to vote. Here’s hoping for children and our children’s children that we make the right decision. The wee blue book has been a godsend.
Only just over 3 hours to go till the polling stations close.
At this point in time it is still only rumour. However all the alleged irregularities at Kirkcaldy and Glenrothes do raise alarm bells. I do not think anyone will ever forget the infamous Glenrothes bye election where all this suspicion about voting irregularities first began in Scotland.
JK, I think the best thing that can be done is for your daughter and/or her 16 year old neighbour to contact the police and make an official complaint that their polling station is turning people away because they have “allegedly” already voted despite the opposite being the truth!
Am full of nerves
Kevin_Maguire · 1m
Senior figure in No campaign predicted they’ll win 58-42 in Scotland. Yes gone very quiet. We’ll see
A2…a brilliant post friend…you made me well up again. Your story is the antithesis of ‘narrow nationalism’. A simple humanity and a desire to help shape the best possible future. Your story chimes with mine. Your story is the same as mine.
All the very best to you and yours,
James
@ Kenny
Maybe something like this ? with a wee touch of Ronnie Anderson and a thanks to Nana Smith
link to youtube.com
My heart is bursting with pride tonight witnessing all your efforts, which will come to fruition!
Kevin Maguire knows nowt about owt, so I’d disregard for now.
@a2, 6:45pm
I like your style and your sentiments. Your daughter is lucky to have such a principled and honest dad.
🙂
Reading that twitter thing – union in name only obviously not in attitude
Condolences on you loss this morning Greannach. Rest assured that although your uncle is no longer here in person he IS here in spirit and as we all do our own wee bit today he will be looking down on you and everyone else smiling ear to ear knowing that we are all doing our part to ensure that what he so dearly wanted will finally come home to roost!
Nana Smith
New media piece really good watch. Distrated me from my nerves for a while. Yes or No they are here to stay.
Called in at the training company I do courses for, already having three folk there who have committed to YES. After about 20 minutes I met the two other lectures there (one the boss) who are now also voting YES. Gave one my last WBB he has yet to discuss it with his wife and he says it will help, a wavering DK, before the vote usually after 21:00 as is their custom.
Three months ago all were either straight NO or DK. This afternoon at 16:00hrs were all happy YES
This thing is happening!
France is thinking of you. We are an hour ahead so will be celebrating before you..
link to theonion.com
john king sorry unfortunately the advice was to call the office before 5pm, so by the time anyone was finding out what was going on it was about 4pm. I post it here for information:
IF YOU ARE FROM FIFE AND BEEN TURNED AWAY FOR A VOTE YOU MUST PHONE THE LOCAL OFFICE BEFORE FIVE AND ASK FOR A TENDERED BALLOT PAPER TO BE ISSUED AT POLLING STATION. THIS WILL GIVE YOU YOUR VOTE….SHARE THIS IF YOU ARE IN THE FIFE AREA!!!!
it was a status on EU citizens for an independent scotland fb page
Maybe you could ask for a tendered ballot paper anyway? Didn’t some say they are pink and go into another box? from earlier?
Greannach:
I’m so sorry to hear that. I understand how you must be feeling. My partner for the past 22 years passed away four months ago. If the result is a free Scotland, it will be bittersweet for the likes of you and I. They should be here to see this.
Palestinian bagpipers back Scottish independence
@ Colin Church, 6:31pm
And what are the rules on aggressive canvassing from bussed up Labour (Liverpool branch)? Are they allowed anywhere near polling stations and is there a limit to representatives of one side within any area?
Should be no more than one from participant groups at each entrance to a polling place. Aggressive behaviour should be reported to the police.
Labour Party has sunk to so many new lows, they must surely be completely submerged by now.
McGuire is trolling. 58-42 my bahookie. 3 hrs to polls close so lets stir and / or demoralise the jocks. Some of his recent tweets are a complete waste of cyber data. Ignore. He’ll be irrelevant come 10pm tonight.
cheers
james
Edward,
The postal vote can only be sent to the address of the person residing in the area where they normally vote surely?
No, anyone can pick up any number of PV forms. I live in Mitcham, Greater London and my local Labour MP sends PV forms out before each election to everyone who doesn’t have a permanent PV and asks for them to be returned to local Labour Party HQ. Wide open to fraud. I put all the paper work, uncompleted in the reply-paid envelope and send them back
So if Joe Soap residing at 10 Noname Street, in Noname Town finds he is going to be away, he applied for a postal vote and the ballot paper is sent to his address at 10 Noname Street, in Noname Town . It should not go to any other address.
Aye, fine if Joe Soap does this. How the fraud works is in low-turnout areas (50% or less) the party canvass will have lists of who have never voted over 10-20 years, sometimes more, from their canvass and polling returns. If you just get hold of a form—and the Electoral Services will give you any number on request, you just fill out one for them, and no-one will be any the wiser.
The way the canvassing system works is that people knock on your door, ask if you’re going to support X. At the polling station, the agent collects the numbers and marries them up with the canvass, so they can send out people to knock up non-voters. But it also identifies core voters and non-voters.
Now as we know the system is not fool proof
Worse, it is wide open–you might say designed to permit fraud.
We really need more information concerning this before jumping up and down. We need hard facts. Such as if its only affecting a single polling station or multiple polling stations within a district.
Absolutely. We need numbers. See my earlier post (when it comes through)
still hav our freedom till 10pm
@bookie from hell
That is the figure from most of the polls, 48-52. I will need much more than that from a diehard Unionist hack to be convinced he is right.
thx james
thx muttley
Kevin MacGuire is a disgrace.
Ach I’m not so sure about that Colin. Just imagine the absolute JOY we will ALL have on Monday night when he is next on SKY News papers review! 😛
If its looking good for our country, then regardless of the time, I’m heading down to Holyrood. The celebration will begin.
I’m so envious of everyone who is in George Square or planning to be outside Holyrood. I’d love to have been able to make it to either place. Still I may not be there in person but I sure am there in SPIRIT!
PARTY ON SCOTLAND!
OUR TIME HAS COME! 😛
CH4 figures 4,285,323 Registered . Half way is 2,142,662 assuming they all vote . We already know postal votes circa 85% so even on that basis pass mark is about 1,820,00 . To be realistic I suspect the pass mark is below this figure.
There are lots of post on media about DK & No changing to YES very last minute . If true thats fantastic. This is how we felt at Xmas waiting for santa . Tension .
Much applause as already said to the REV setting up this site and to all you contributors for making it so dammed addictive . It has consumed me daily and been thoroughly enjoyable . We must also thank all those who did a lot of the work behind the scenes too . This movement has come alive thanks to hunners o folk making it happen . Hopefully, and it is a strong possibility , tomorrow we step thro’ the door to a new way of governing the people of Scotland . Lead on and rUK could follow. Thank you ALL very very much .
The Longest day in my life.
It’s like waiting for your bairn to come into the world and your nervous with expectation. I cant believe a man of my age is toiling with the pressure.
Your comments are fantastic but i need to sort myself the the long night.
See you all online about midnight folks. Be patient . We are changing the world.
watching bbc tonight,if it all goes wrong–taking it out on nick robinson icon_razz.gif
Well done Rev, you need to run for the Scottish Parliament. Work on WBB fantastic. THANK YOU.
I am on babysitting duty to let my wife and friend go on duty at a polling station. I am a bag of nerves at the moment. WOS and twitter are keeping me going!
@bookie from hell
Are you watching BBC tonight? Your blood pressure will hit the roof. Be careful.
Thanks Nana! I really enjoyed that video from DRUM! Well worth watching!
@Edward says: 18 September, 2014 at 6:24 pm:
“The postal vote can only be sent to the address of the person residing in the area where they normally vote surely?”
Can’t remember where I saw or heard it as I was driving around with the Tannoy going all over the place but someone, somewhere said there were problems in Kirkcaldy/Glenrothes. It was not postal votes, though. It was new over 16YO voters and it was a genuine procedural error that they were not on the list. It was sorted out with the young voters getting their vote.
I’m back home now and I’m knackered so I’ve had enough for the night. Not good policy to make noise and annoy Mums when they are putting wee ones to bed. I’ve been going since 06:30AM and with the Tannoy going since about 10:00AM ish. I’ve seen bits of this part Fife I’ve never seen before. Never had call to go into many of those housing schemes before.
Muttley
Nope, gave up on the BBC a long time ago. I doubt I will ever return to their news output.
It was mental at the polling station,it felt surreal,i was light-headed and dizzy and seemed to float through in an out of body experience,my hands were shaking marking the ballot paper.
It is not just libdems phoning and asking how you voted. I have received a call from YES Scotland asking how I voted an hour ago.
@Jock Scot
I feel privileged to have been part of your mighty fine efforts for the indyref. Your songs and tunes have kept us laughing and singing out loud.
Slainte mhath!!
Under 2 and a half hours till polls close and I’m absolutely bricking it. Before us lies one of the worst or one of the best nights of our lives. Please please let it be a Yes.
@Colin Church & @Flower of Scotland
You are welcome, its good to see our Rev Stu relaxing. Wonder if there was a wee tot of something in the cup?
@MarkAustin
Had first thing to eat today just now – too nervous. You have just made me feel sick with worry again. They over printed ballots haven’t they? Are they all accounted for / tallied up at the end? If the turnout is super high and voters have had their vote effectively hi-jacked then if they record number of disputed (double) votes and total cast they may get votes cast greater than registered vote. Proof of fraud but after event… I can see on poor turnout how this is very possible but too risky for this surely?
Any problems with voting in Fife call Doreen Sim 01592 583111, council employee.
Hearing those snippets re being turned away and reading in MSM that there is no exit poll is beginning to make me suspicious too. Good Guardian article today on this, bewailing why not as it is usual and without it, it will be hard to analyse how result was achieved
link to theguardian.com
I am reading quite a few Tweets from some Yessers saying, whatever happens this campaign has been great kind of message. I am sorry but if there is a No vote, by whatever margin, it is going to be a disaster for Scotland. The British state are going to go ballistic at us, should we vote No. I don’t really get this from some Yes supporters. We are in this to win it. It will be absolute sickening if we vote No.
muttley a high turnout NO is even worse
@ LA
“I’m so envious of everyone who is in George Square or planning to be outside Holyrood. I’d love to have been able to make it to either place. ”
You’re envious – I’m seething with jealousy cos I can’t be there..! 😉
If anyone can bear to stand the stress and pressure after the polls close then Livestream will be filming live from I’m assuming George Square in Glasgow from around 21:30 tonight.
link to new.livestream.com
@Robert Peffers
Thanks for your efforts. Which area had the pleasure of your not so dulcets?
This is an amazing day. Quarter to eight, and I’m still working on ‘undecideds’!
Hi guys just back from voting- my big heavy cross went into the yes box of course. Had a few words with the yes ladies standing outside the polling station and also had a few words with the no guy too. I told him he was a disgrace and he shrugged his shoulders.
@Markyboy
It was mental at the polling station,it felt surreal,i was light-headed and dizzy and seemed to float through in an out of body experience,my hands were shaking marking the ballot paper.
I feel like that too. I got a piss poor sleep last night as well, particularly after doing.some exercise last night. I feel like a zombie today. I don’t think I will be able to sleep tonight either.
heres a cheerful tweet
IPSOS MORI confirm that their opinion polls are no longer valid if turnout in Scotland hits 80% I suspect these extra voters will go for Yes
Midgehunter says:
You’re envious – I’m seething with jealousy cos I can’t be there..! 😉
I was wondering what all the chaos and noise was about Midge. 😛
I have absolutely no feel for this one at all. There are about 20 of us in our section of the office. Six months ago about 4 of us were definite Yes voters and 2 or 3 were maybes. As I was leaving tonight there was a wee cheer, a young lad had shifted from No to Yes and was heading to the polling station – making 17 Yeses out of the 20. I gave out 5 WBB in that office.
I don’t think there was a cross word during the whole campaign in our section.
However, I can’t bring myself to believe that we are representative of Glasgow as a whole despite being young, old, male, female, senior staff and junior. So I have no feel for how this is going to go.
Thanks for everything, guys.
Our departed relatives will be fully aware of what is happening. Saint Andrew, Saint Ninian, Saint Mungo, Saint John Oglivie and a raft of Scots saints will be belting out “Flower of Scotland” to angel accompaniment all over Heaven. All those who fought with Wallace and Bruce will be joining in, and reliving old memories. Likewise those who fell at Flodden and Culloden.
If the deceased was a No voter, I have no doubt that Satan will be providing a similar news service in the other place …
Just a correction to my earlier post. It’s not PV forms that can be easily got, it’s PV APPLICATION forms. The PV itself is sent to the address on the form, and the signature checked. However, if Fred Bloggs fills one in for Joe Soap, everything will match
12m ago
Uber-pundit Nate Silver, founder of the 538.com geeky polling blog, has come to regret his casual dismissal of the yes prospects back in August:
When I was in Scotland last year on a book tour, a reporter asked me an off-handed question about the referendum and I provided an off-handed answer despite not really having spent any time studying it,” Silver told TPM in an email on Thursday. “That’s not usually my style, and I regret the error of having behaved like a television pundit.
bookie from hell says:
heres a cheerful tweet
IPSOS MORI confirm that their opinion polls are no longer valid if turnout in Scotland hits 80% I suspect these extra voters will go for Yes
So we’ve been inundated with poll after poll after poll telling us that we’re a big bunch of losers and NOW the polling companies come out from behind the woodwork claiming “it wasn’t us it was the huge numbers of voters that made the figures wrong!” and everything is supposed to be O.K.?
Is this the BEST they can come up with?
I’m thinking the polling companies have just become the latest in A long line of laughing stock objects! 😛
Tweet from
IndependenceDaily @YesVoteDaily · 46m
Twitter filled with stories of voters intending to vote No, who were then unable to do it when faced with the ballot paper
I think turnout will probably be over 80 per cent. I cannot see it reaching 90 per cent, but it could be enough to muck up the polling.
So let’s nail this. High turn out in working class areas is good for yes. High in middle class areas not so good.Reason lazy no,s will actually vote. With low turn out a lot just wait for the result.The crucial bit is us getting a higher turn out of yes in poor and working class areas. I reckon the working class vote is 60\40 yes. The middle class vote about 52/48 for no.We don’t want everybody voting I don’t think.
@Lesley-Anne
Very encouraging. Their convergence at the end of the campaign is very convenient and would not be surprised if collusive. Much erse covering will be done tonight by them and our MSM. But oods on our esteemed John Curtice will try and tell us all his previous mutterings were bang on.
He He I took 200 WBB’s into the pie eaters territory (Vale of Leven, Vale, Dumbarton, Alexandria, Helensburgh) last nite with a team of boys and girls don’t know but I hope we got one into her letter box.
Here’s the timetable for ?#?indyref? results through the night.
1 Comhairle nan Eilean Siar 02:00
2 North Lanarkshire 02:00
3 Inverclyde 02:00
4 Orkney 02:00
5 East Lothian 02:00
6 Perth & Kinross 02:00
7 Moray 02:00
8 Clackmannanshire 02:30
9 West Dunbartonshire 03:00
10 Dumfries & Galloway 03:00
11 Angus 03:00
12 South Lanarkshire 03:00
13 East Renfrewshire 03:00
14 Dundee 03:00
15 Falkirk 03:00
16 Renfrewshire 03:00
17 East Ayrshire 03:00
18 Aberdeenshire 03:00
19 Stirling 03:00
20 Midlothian 03:30
21 Argyll & Bute 03:30
22 West Lothian 03:30
23 South Ayrshire 03:30
24 Shetland 03:30
25 East Dunbartonshire 03:30
26 Fife 04:00
27 Highland 04:00
28 North Ayrshire 04:30
29 Scottish Borders 05:00
30 Edinburgh 05:00
31 Glasgow 05:00
32 Aberdeen 06:00
From Guardian,
Despite some rumours on Twitter, Severin Carrell has confirmed with Falkirk council that it is “simply not true” polling stations closed early because 100% of their local voters turned up.
All polling stations will be open until 10pm BST. You’ve still got plenty of time if you haven’t yet voted.
Been very busy last few days, just like to add my thanks to you stu, and to each and every one on this site,except leither,he can still bugger off.
Not long back from polling station,4 votes yes from the smith family,no thanks-nil points.Never ever thought this day would come,my parting words to my workmates today..see you tomorrow.. In a free Scotland ! god,it even sounded great just to say it.well done to everyone again,no matter the result.
Ain’t no stopping us now !
Hey Lesley-Anne, maybe if the turnout is over 80% any electoral fraud won’t have an impact hence the polling companies results will look wrong – call me a conspiracy nutter and pass the tinfoil hat
apparent their have been rumours of polling stations closing early.
coz of 100% turnout, IGNORE them.
@Big Jock
If it is the high turn out in Criagmillar, Easterhouse etc that swings this then RIC deserve a medal of honour from new parliament. Their efforts and co-ordination will be legend and a history lesson for other campaigns.
Colin Church says:
18 September, 2014 at 7:42 pm
@MarkAustin
Had first thing to eat today just now – too nervous. You have just made me feel sick with worry again. They over printed ballots haven’t they? Are they all accounted for / tallied up at the end? If the turnout is super high and voters have had their vote effectively hi-jacked then if they record number of disputed (double) votes and total cast they may get votes cast greater than registered vote. Proof of fraud but after event… I can see on poor turnout how this is very possible but too risky for this surely?
The way the count works is this.
When the Polling Station closes, the ballot boxes (sealed before voting starts) are sent off in on car to the counting location. The marked register and any unused ballots—they do print more than needed, even for a 100% turnout, in case someone makes a mistake and requests a new one—are sent off in a second car, using a different route if aty all possible. This is so that if the car crashes and the ballots are all burnt, they know how many people voted, both are accompanied by the police until they are delivered at the count. I don’t think this has ever happened, but there was a case in the Western Isles before WW2 when the ballot boxes were being brought from a remote island by rowing boat and it sank. There was, eventually, a ruling in the Court of Sessions that the remaining ballots could be counted but if tthe margin was close to the number of lost votes, they would have to re-run the election.
They use the marked register and, if necessary the books of ballot papers to work out how many people have voted.
Next the ballots are counted. This should be done face-down so that the counting agents can’t see them, to ensure that there are the same number of votes in each box.
Once this is done, the count proceeds. This is face-up, so the counting agents can challenge a dubious vote. If this happens, or if those doing the counting spot a problemk. They are set aside. The (Deputy) Acting Returning Officer will rule on the obviously trivial cases, but the really dogy ones will be show the the Agents for, in this case the Yes and No side, and they can indicate that they are prepared to accept a spoiled paper. I remember one case where the voter voted Labour with a neatly drawn smiley face. Myself (for the Liberals) and the Conservative agent were prepares to accept it, but the Deputy Acting Returning Officer said No.
Ballot box stuffing is all but impossible—it would require both putting extra ballots in the box and adjusting the marked register and books of unused papers.
It’s postal votes that are wide open to fraud if a party can identify persistent non-voters.
My head and heart are screaming Yes but if its a No vote we will be the laughing stock of the world.
I’ve had enough of people talking us down, I believe we will seize the moment.
I agree with what you say Colin. I think over the course of the results programmes on BBC, ITV,SKY there will be a great deal of squeaky bums sitting uneasily on very unbalanced chairs. 😛
To be honest though I would not expect John Curtice to do anything different. If he did then I think I’d be calling for medical assistance! 😛
Note to Andy Murray.
Read the retweet about wishing you had died at Dunblane.If that is a Scots person I’m sorry. That is the most hurtful thing I’ve read in my long life. I know you won’t read this but know you are loved here as are all the children,now adults,who survived.Not because you’re great at tennis. Because of what you went through.
Stay strong and thanks for your support. Let’s Do This. Yeah!
To my fellow citizens
I would like to apologise for the role I have played in the dismantling of the United Kingdom.
I am sure there is little need for me to tell you that I never dreamed that my Prime Ministership would be the Union’s last, or that I would be the person ultimately responsible for the needless destruction of one of the most successful polities in the history of Europe and indeed the world.
However, I must take responsibility for what has happened.
First of all, the blame is mine for allowing the referendum question to be worded in a way that inevitably favoured the secessionist cause. As is obvious now, I should have insisted on wording such as: ‘Do you think Scotland should leave the United Kingdom?’ or ‘Should Scotland remain part of the United Kingdom?’
Unfortunately my career in television PR and then at the top of Conservative politics gave me little training in the art of negotiation. I now accept that I should have sent a more able and experienced negotiator to wrangle with a politician as accomplished as Alex Salmond.
To my shame I must also confess that, before those negotiations, it had been suggested that my government seek advice from colleagues in Canada and elsewhere who had successfully defeated similar referendums and separatist movements. I declined to follow that advice, underestimating as I did the urgency and importance of the question of Scottish secession.
It was also, as the referendum results make all too clear, deeply foolish of me to agree to Alex Salmond’s demand that teenagers be allowed to vote in the referendum. It did not occur to me at the time that the only 16- and 17-year-olds likely to take part in such a vote would be passionate nationalists, and that I might be dooming the cause of the Union.
It is true that Conservative modernisers and my long-time image consultants were adamant on this question, but in the end the decision was mine. It was unforgivably trivial and short-sighted of me to put the future of the UK at risk for the chance of a slight improvement in our brand image among young people.
All I can say in my defence is that at the time our pollsters said it was highly unlikely that the nationalists would ever have a real chance of winning.
However, there is no excuse for the lack of seriousness, effort and thought that I and my cabinet put into the referendum until too late in the day.
Whatever the future may hold for an independent Scotland, there is no question that the immediate prospect for England, Wales and Northern Ireland is a dismaying and difficult one.
On top of negotiating borders and finances with Scotland, we face the complicated and costly task of reshaping thousands of public and private institutions to fit our truncated country. We must restore international confidence in the remains of the UK even as we come to terms with a radical change in our national identity.
Much as I hope to play my own part in indeed in rebuilding British nationhood, and persuading investors and institutions around the world that Britain is still a safe and stable place to do business, I feel it would be wrong to do so while holding the office of Prime Minister.
I therefore resign that office, and also announce my intention to stand down as Member of Parliament for Witney.
I extend my humblest apologies to her Majesty, to my fellow citizens and to all who put their faith in me as a leader.
David Cameron
A terrible crime was committed today between 16:00 and 18:15:
Some nawbag stole 1 of the Yes signs from in front our house. We live on a country road, so they would have had to slam on the brakes, reverse get out and steal it.
I feel very intimidated!!
“Twitter filled with stories of voters intending to vote No, who were then unable to do it when faced with the ballot paper”
Exactly that.
Betfair Exchange ?@BetfairSports · 1m
Recent political markets in Scotland have seen a series of massive turnarounds. Beware if you think 1.18 about No is free money.
My YES vote cast in Nicola Sturgeon’s constituency. Exceptionally busy. Never seen it so busy. Took photo of both sides of my ballot paper in case of any dodgyness (and for posterity).
You can just sense we really ARE going to do this.
Is there no truth in this campaign. Who is telling people polling stations are closed? Part of the desperate no campaign!
I don’t want to make light of your situation Lemon, but think on this as perhaps it was someone who is voting YES and wanted to *ahêm* borrow one of your YES signs to put up in their garden. At least if you do this then you may not feel so intimidated and perhaps more uplifted in thinking you may have helped someone.
I know I’m talking nonsense here, just trying to cheer you up a wee bit. 😉
I thought it too late to damage the Yes campaign, so I had an enjoyable late afternoon debating with the Slabour stooges campaigning outside their HQ. Buccleuch Street is a bit of a sound-canyon, which helped to project my message. 🙂
I’ll not claim I was kind or gentle and was privileged to have the opportunity of gloating in the face of evil Blair McDougall, regarding the immanence of his P45. None of them had any reply and I was able to keep them successful corralled inside, with surprising ease. 🙂
I think taking 42% or more labour voters will prove vital to our success. Its a pity it’s not 70% but hey can’t have everything.
I just want to say congratulations on all the freedom voters in Scotland today. Whatever the outcome you should realise you have given belief to small nations around the globe and here in Ireland. Take a bow. Never give up.
@Castle Rock
I have colleagues in Ireland (N+S) who have stated they will laugh in my face if I dare to sing our national anthem at any sporting occassion if we ever vote no. Can you imagine how hollow that would feel?
@Nana Smith
1 Comhairle nan Eilean Siar 02:00/ Probably Yes
2 North Lanarkshire 02:00/ Don’t know
3 Inverclyde 02:00/ DK
4 Orkney 02:00/ Probably No
5 East Lothian 02:00/ DK
6 Perth & Kinross 02:00/ Probably No
7 Moray 02:00 / DK
8 Clackmannanshire 02:30/ Probably Yes
9 West Dunbartonshire 03:00/ DK
10 Dumfries & Galloway 03:00/ No
11 Angus 03:00/ Yes
12 South Lanarkshire 03:00/ DK
13 East Renfrewshire 03:00/ DK
14 Dundee 03:00/ Yes
15 Falkirk 03:00/ DK
16 Renfrewshire 03:00/ DK
17 East Ayrshire 03:00/ DK
18 Aberdeenshire 03:00/ DK
19 Stirling 03:00/ Probably Yes
20 Midlothian 03:30/ Probably Yes
21 Argyll & Bute 03:30/ DK
22 West Lothian 03:30/ Yes
23 South Ayrshire 03:30/ DK
24 Shetland 03:30/ Maybe Yes
25 East Dunbartonshire 03:30/ DK
26 Fife 04:00/ DK
27 Highland 04:00/ Yes
28 North Ayrshire 04:30/ DK
29 Scottish Borders 05:00/ No
30 Edinburgh 05:00/ Probably Yes
31 Glasgow 05:00/ Yes
32 Aberdeen 06:00/ Probably Yes
Getting a bit bored so I thought I might as well try some predictions.
Just had a text from my wife. They are over 80% turnout and people are still streaming in!
If there are a lot of folks on Twitter saying they intended voting NO but just couldn’t do it when they had the referendum paper in their hand then I’m guessing that a great many of these people are Labour voters so I’d hazard a guess BJ that the 42% of Labour voters voting YES may very well be a great deal HIGHER. 😛
link to trendsmap.com
YES trends. Interesting.
We were talking to the father of one of our YES South Annandale branch yesterday Muttley who had driven down from Stornaway. The information that they have up there is the Eilean Siar is definitely YES as is Shetland and Orkney. Now if these two sets of islands do indeed turn out a YES win that would be a fantastic result. 😛
Just out of interest – when was the last time a PM was strung up by there party?
@Lesley-Anne Will be interesting to see if that pans out. No one expected the Quebec effect in reverse
Lesley-Anne,
You are right, it must have been someone wanting a momento from this great day !
50% wont be sleeping tomorrow
I handed out my last two WBB at 4pm ish to two people who were going to vote after work and the shops were closed. Very hopeful that it will swing them both. Just casual conversations while in the shops but still amazed at how little people know about whats going on and believe what they read in newspapers. Another had already voted no because they wanted to buy a house next year and the interest rates would be horrendous if they voted yes. No point in wasting breath there then. Still a fruitful afternoon 🙂
@Andy Howie
Where is your wife?
Folks, 87% turnout at my polling station, I am the rep. Still an hour or so to go
Colin Church says: 18 September, 2014 at 7:46 pm:
Kelty, Cowdenbeath, Kingseat, Hill o Beath, all towns and villages between Cowdenbeath and Ballingry and some bits of North West Kircaldy.
I just drove up the main Streets and turned into schemes. Obviously I couldn’t cover everywhere but it was at least showing the flag(s). Drove into quite a few dead-ends too.
That Official set of audio clips will take a long time to get out of my system. The tune is catchy but a bit wearing listening to it for hours. I’m kind of deaf – but not that deaf!
@CM
Struggling to get that twitter trend full screen on a mobile, last saw it at 1500, has it been expanded to include the last few hours?
It’s strange, listening to the reports from Scotland from way down south; I am wishing you well, but thinking about what more I could do than that, there’s really very little. Post on our broken media, with it’s troglodyte infested comments? Write to our Not-Listening political parties? Go socialise with people equally powerless if not outright disengaged?
This though, win or lose, is a proud justification as to why you’ve been right to at least pursue a referendum; turn out is extremely high, people are actually engaged, active, inspired, and Scottish politics has been shook up enormously. Perhaps even the UK as a whole. On this, Scotland and the Scots are truly leaders in a country full of idle quiescent sheep… but who may at last be realising just how close the wolf is to their door through your actions.
But again… for your own sakes, bear this in mind;
IPSOS MORI confirm that their opinion polls are no longer valid if turnout in Scotland hits 80% I suspect these extra voters will go for Yes
That doesn’t mean the polls are wrong, it means that there’s emergent behaviour they’ve not modelled for; Remember the Question is pure Yes/No, so the “Don’t Knows” must now be decided one way or another, and in higher numbers than they answered the Pollsters with, unless they’re all attending just to eat their ballot paper as a protest. But which way they’re breaking the Pollsters can’t know because it’s a secret ballot; it could even be that their results are exactly accurate as they all decide precisely how the pollsters weighted them previously… it’s just the participation that’s a surprise.
During the night however, the polls and the media will slowly bring themselves into alignment with reality, as no one wants to ruin their business by publicly saying “we don’t know what we’re doing!” The first results may well be off, but the second and the third will become more and more accurate… So if they start calling it one way or another during the night, for your own sanity don’t put your hopes in them still being wrong; You’ve done all you can for Scotland and it’s people for now, but the result will be what it will be, don’t let it burn you out over the night for no good cause.
But I expect you will anyway, because of how much it matters to you 😉 So, crossing my fingers for a good result.
Am so anxious
I’m working off the 42% that I heard was quoted on Newsnight the other night Andy. I never expected to hear that folks were bottling it and voting YES if anything I really expected the opposite, namely bottling it and voting NO. The fact that there are so many people bottling it to YES then these folks must be OUTSIDE the 42%. I would LOVE to know if anyone has worked out the actual number of Labour voters voting YES. I think at the end of the day we could be realistically be looking at close to 50% if not MORE! 🙂
I knew I’d be able to cheer you up Lemon, I seem to have that sort of knack with folks these days. 😛
@muttley79
I’ll be surprised if Perth and Kinross returns a No vote.
@Muttley Thorntonhall. She says plenty of yes voters
The Rev has posted his most inspirational piece today. Wow, What a day this has been so far!
My wife and I and 17 year old daughter all voted at 8.15am. In the privacy of the polling booth I took out a photo of me and my dear Dad, who passed away some time ago now. He was a fully paid up member of the SNP and yearned for independence all his life. I said a few words, and through my tears, we voted YES.
Spent all day knocking on doors and getting the YES vote out. Gave out my last copy of the WBB to an undecided, so here’s hoping. Back in for tea before the count in Perth. My son and eldest daughter both voted YES. Eldest daughter only got into the referendum a few weeks back and literally, just yesterday, she spoke to her childhood pal, who was definite NO, who said she was not so certain. One link to the WBB, and the job was done, YES!
I have managed to speed read all comments and I am full of emotion and excitement.
Rev and friends, the new enlightenment has begun and we started it, so proud!!
great post titler
within 3% if NO wins,im praying
Word has it that 3 polling stations in Falkirk District have recorded a 100% turnout..but need to remain open by law.
The flurry of last minute promises and the front page spread of their signatures on the pledge has made for an interesting outcome tomorrow. A number of people in rUK think that Dave has sold them out and are now saying a Yes vote would be a better cleaner outcome…well we all know that. Yes is a lose for the PM and No isn’t a hell of a lot better. Doesn’t matter to Gordon though, he can just smile at the chaos he has wrought upon the people who took his job.
@Colin Church
Had similar but a lot of No people will have been in that booth and saying No to your own country will have been too much.
We’ll do it.
Just when you think Lamont can not go any lower. Just saw a Tweet from her on the Guardian: she is saying vote No to protect the NHS! Dear o dear…
CORRECTION to a previous post. As a WoS PV Monitor a Polling Station Monitor and a Counting Monitor (busy day for me) NOT ALL of the Ballot Boxes get a police escort however the ballot boxes are padlocked and have two plastic and numbered seals on each side of the padlocked lid…..seems very secure to me. At 10:30 this morning in my area the PV’s received were approaching 90% of the number sent out.
@Titler:
My advice? If you haven’t got a bottle of good malt handy, go and buy one. And then celebrate democracy in action.
The trendmap thingy. A lot of #bt over London, fair enough. Spain interest in general I get. But why #bt pockets over Africa and in other obscure areas – are these embassies doing mass tweeting?
I have had a long day,
spent most of the day standing in front of the polling station, I had a conversation Im too tired to relate but I will post it tomorrow (assuming we dont have a more important topic of discussion. 😉
Ruth Davidson proud to have voted No because it keeps her country together. No mention of Scotland of course…
’72 Glenlivet Ltd bottling, standing by
No no no yes
respect Donald. 🙂
Stood and stared at my ballot paper for ages today, trying to appreciate the enormity of how important this referendum is, before carving a deep, heavy cross into the “yes” box.
Totally forgot about the missus, who was standing, patiently, waiting for me when I left the booth!
Worth a look:
link to businessinsider.co.id
Managed to convert a couple of wobblers today, too!
Is it tomorrow morning yet?
Turnouts of near 80% now been reported in the Housing Scheme areas of Dundee that have had low turnouts for some time. They just happen to be in the places that the SNP/Radical Independence have put a lot of work into.
From our american pal
link to nrtalkradio.libsyn.com
Well that’s it, the very last one of my 1000 Wee Blue Book delivery found a new home today.
Somewhat selfishly I had kept a single copy for myself which I’ve carried around ‘for emergency use only’.
I was sitting on the busy 17.07 Aberdeen to Laurencekirk ‘commuter express’ and offered my seat to an eldery and well healed English couple so they could enjoy the journey together. The gentleman shook my hand in appreciation and clocking the bright pink YES badge on my bag leant over and said in hushed tones “As a foreigner, I hope you don’t mind me saying ‘good luck tonight, who can blame you wanting to rid yourself of that lot in Westminster’… ‘if we lived here we’d be voting Yes”.
I replied, in equally hushed tones (well you can never be sure who’s boggling in), that no matter which way the vote goes “you’ll never be seen as foreign”.
Turns out the chap had worked for years in management at Longannet and had witnessed first hand the industrial decline of Scotland and rUK under Thatcherite and NeuLabour governments. From then on we spent a very pleasent journey discussing the Yes campaign; empowerment, political engagement and the longer term repercussions of our campaign on the rest of the British Isles.
As I got off the train I removed and handed him my YES badge and my last Wee Blue Book. Well, I won’t need them after tonight.
Hey Rev., maybe soon your services will be needed by our chums down south?
Maybe England will now begin to grasp the how and why of an English debtor economy that spends a third more than it earns year after year, decade after decade, while building giant debt that they then distribute to Scotlland as our “fair share.” Actually maybe is wrong. They’re going to have to face reality with Scottish independence .
No doubt Ruthie has this in mind when urging people to vote NO. Get Scotland to pay for Westminsters corruption, that’s the idea eh Ruthie?
link to telegraph.co.uk
Looks like the “fuckit factor” has appeared as predicted. YESSS!
Jonathan Shafi of RIC tweeting to say turnout is 82 per cent in St Francis, Gorbals. Some else tweeting that turnout at 91 per cent in Kilbowie, Clydebank. Don’t know how accurate these figures are, but turnout looks to be very high indeed.
Just back from voting.
I walked 4 miles to vote YES.
I walked with quiet confidence and steely purpose (and with just a hint of a swagger) and enjoyed the walk reflecting on family no longer here… especially my Aunt Nellie who voted for the SNP’s Dr Robert MacIntyre back in the 1940s
Polling station mobbed – people very serious as if they knew they were making history
Lots of locals as well who looked excited to be there – I think ‘Yessers’ all! In this part of the world the vote is definitely splitting down class lines with the workers going YES and the Yuppies No.
Dropped in for a quiet pint in local and it was quiet with only a couple of local yessers discussing the vote
On way home bumped into No voting neighbours (with No balloons FFS!) and declined offer of a glass of wine – I told them I had to hurry home to help start building a nation anew
My immediate family – 7 yes, 0 no!
Lets do this!
Enjoy.
link to youtube.com
How do people feel today has gone. I live in Aberdeen and I see to be surrounded by angry No voters aka Bitter Together. My vote was Yes not for me but my country. My friend from Glasgow made one of the most touching statements about Independence “People who only have thoughts for themselves, their pockets, family and close friends are not worth bothering about. They wont care that inequality directly breeds violence and hatred until someone stabs their kid or something and it sinks in. They cannot empathise on abstract concepts like poverty in others. They can only appreciate what they experience”. I hope a new Scotland if we get a YES carries all its people and leaves not behind. As a high rate taxpayer, husband and a father I would gladly pay 60% income tax for a shared future and hope for all. Hail Alba!
Completely naughty, but nevertheless brilliantly done:
Voting Yes means being able to look other Europeans in the eye.
Voting No means staring at your feet.
It’s as simple as that.
Thanks to Rev Stu and all wingers for all the rebuttals, inspiration and good company. I’ve taken the day off work in hope of a great party tomorrow.
Talked with a friend who has been at the vote all day, don’t want to be overly optimistic, but he reckons 2-1 for Yes. At a more Tory part of the town he reckons 50/50.
It’s all happening folks. History today
Interesting analysis here – markets calm despite Unionist prognosticians of doom and gloom
“There is also the possibility that investors simply feel Scottish independence is manageable without dramatic or systemic upheaval – even if there are costs, uncertainties and difficulties ahead for both new countries that emerge”.
More evidence the last 10 days were all a smoke and mirror campaign of fear. let’s hope practically no potential YES voter fell hook, line and sinker
link to uk.reuters.com
To add to the above, that is in Montrose
One hour of voting to go (well unless there is a queue at the ballot stations). Yikes…
North Lanarkshire 0200
If NO wins here, then I’d be fairly certain that Scotland is staying in the UK. A YES win with over 53% or so would indicate that the nationalists are on course to go very close.
Feeling the jangly nerves a bit now as we get closer to the polls closing.
I will never ever forget this day (regardless of the outcome) and the whole Indyref experience. That is mainly down to sites like Wings, Bella C, WGD, Scotgospop and Derek Bateman. Thank you one and all and let’s hope we all get the result we crave so much.
Now off to get the beers in, its gonna be a long long night.
@Alex Smith
“fuckit factor” Please oh please let this one slip out in the TV analysis when they all become tired and emotional.
One would have thought that an Eton education, costing what it does would have taught both Cameron and Osborne the meaning of ‘Nemo me impune lacessit ‘ ( None attack me with impunity ). Perhaps the should have checked
link to WWW.youtube.com
O.K. peeps. The last few nights have been the practice nights. TONIGHT it is for REAL! How many of us are going to be able to stay awake all the way through until around 6 a.m. tomorrow morning to see the official final result?
I know I want to but the big question is, is my body up for it. Only time will tell! 😉
Cometh the hour … cometh the man!
Cometh the Referendum … Cometh the Country!
The enemies of democracy are closing ranks, a few speak out, most stay silent until the vote is called.
‘No more powers for Scotland if the Union wins.’
Sadly, many fellow Scots don’t perceive the colonial character doesn’t do compromise, or if they do, won’t have heard the crack of Westminster’s whip.
We will know in a few hours.
LA, I’m guessing the first few results may dictate if we reach for the malt or not, and the quality of said dram. And that may have a bearing on the ability to last the pace. But the adrenalin could kick in though I’d be surprised if I have any left after the last few days.
I’m not sure any of this would be possible without you Stu. I’d certainly be insane by now, that’s definite. It’s not just what you do either. The quality and sheer professionalism is unsurpassed. You do have competition though as some of the comments in this site are breathtaking & inspiring. We have to win this thing!
@Lesley-Anne
I watched the moon landings and the went to work at 7.30am – 5.30pm back then and this has far more significance so will try.
90% voted by 8ish in my wee polling station in Uig, Isle of Skye, that is including the postal votes. Normally only 30-40% vote.
Hi Wingers, confident we’re going to win trusted friend spoke to Michael Crick top BBC political editor, also message today from AS to HMcL saying We’ve Won -GET on Betfair at 6.0 and prove the English Tory betters wrong ….. clean them out!!!
This video inspired me to comment. Long time reader but first time poster
The Great Dictator – David Hayman – Scottish Inde…: link to youtu.be
That’s my hubby away to the count in Dingwall. He was round the polling stations in our area today, all very positive.
Going to be a long night but we are in good company here on Wings.
I’m quite sure we’d all understand if some of us nodded off during the results phase Herald. 😉
To be honest, I think even those of us who may lose the fight against closing eye lids will still find enough adrenalin to reach the end in fine fettle and definitely fine voice! 😛
With the Glasgow vote being just over 10%, it aint over until the fat lady sings…
I have every confidence CH that as the results start to come in everyone who is still compus mentis will be doing everything and anything possible no doubt, even having COLD showers, just to make it through to the end! 😛
Cynical Highlander
Aye, so did I. Mind you, I was a lot younger in 1969, and had a lot more stamina. Happy memories, of a bonny lassie in Dundee, and us watching the moon landings in her flat.
Sounds like Dundee will be a great place to celebrate after dawn breaks the morn’s morn.
I don’t sleep that much these days (or nights), so I will probably last the course.
Remember if your having a dram tonight, no Wm. Grant whiskers for their large donation to the No campaign!!
It isn’t just about activist groups. Visiting one of Edinburgh’s gurdwaras with Scots Asians for Yes, the people I met were typical. Some were undecided; some were no. Most were yes. And what distinguished the yeses was this: they were discussing how to persuade relatives and friends. They collected data-filled booklets to talk through with their families. They had become Google and Twitter aficionados, digging out and sharing information that debunks the horror stories our politicians use to frighten us away from any notion that another world is possible. With social media, Paul Mason once wrote, “truth moves faster than lies, and propaganda becomes flammable”.
link to theguardian.com
I have a 61 year old bottle of Glen Fiddich (unopened before you ask) which I bought when I was a young man and vowed not to open until the most special day of my life occured.
It still has 18 months to go or it will be used tomorrow to drown my sorrows.
I think I might just have to buy a “Talisker” to tide me over to 2016… 🙂
What news from Glasgow & Edinburgh the big two.
Fife 3rd biggest?
Glad to here the Glenrothes thing sorted and new voters got to vote.
I’m going bed in a few minutes, alarm set for about 01:30hrs
Butterflies back. Nervousness setting in.
Been up (as many have since Wed at 08:30)
OMFG! Nearly there. 🙂
I trust George Galloway more than Crick
just saying
I’ve voted YES. Win or lose, nothing can take back how good that feels.
To Stu – Thank you from the bottom of my heart. A voice in the wilderness. Whatever happens, stay on, we need you.
@Arel
The foundations of an ongoing proper open media. Can’t see the conventional newspapers surviving a yes.
One of the most memorable points in the hole debate, if not THE most memorable, was J Lamont saying she had spent her whole life fighting poverty and the BBC journalist James Cook replying, “well hasn’t your whole political life been a failure then” or something to that effect.
That in itself should end her career.
Thanks to all who have commentated, educated and debated on here.
Thank you to Rev Stu and any assistants for this monumental effort for Independence and as important to me, showing up nearly all the press and journalists for being lazy, ill informed and copy and paste merchants.
As a little aside, can anyone inform me what CiF means on some posts? I never did work it out.
Steven
Starts c9.30pm.
Starts c9.30pm.
I’m still here why I hear you say. Hmm!
bookie from hell says:
I trust George Galloway more than Crick
just saying
JEEZ!
If you trust George the cat man MORE than Mr Crick then I think I’m getting SERIOUSLY worried about you Bookie. 😛
Snacks: Check
Drinks: Check
Freedom: To be decided
This is perhaps a wee bit O/T, but, if we get a Yes vote announced tomorrow morning – please, please, make it so – then putting a wager on Judy Murray being the first celebrity voted off Strictly would be a nice little earner.
Middle England will never forgive Andy for his support for Yes and will take it out on his mother.
A small contribution – although I’m marooned in Cornwall (“Go, Mebyon Kernow!”) I’ve persuaded my No-leaning sister and her family in Nairnshire to vote YES today! Thanks Rev. Stu and all the WoS regulars, you gave me the ability to do that!
@Sunshine
Comment is Free.
Alex Thomson (C4) just tweeted that Maryhill has been polling 2/3 yes all day…
As these are exciting times for Scotland, why don’t you make yourselves some ‘referendum resolutions’ for Scotlands new year.. I dunno, maybe drink less, smoke more; smoke less, drink more.. you could even cancel your bbc license and unplug your tv reception for 18 months?
Hopefully most people will have voted YES by now, but anything can happen in the next ½ hour.
Wingers, just want you to make money tonight – you deserve it. Betting on Scottish Referendum all Big Bucks English Tory lies money …. Market warped – in Scotland 78% of the small bets, we’re not rich up here are for YES – William Hill Forehill took £1750 yesterday on Yes Bets …. Nothing on No …. English big guys thinks they control market …. But they don’t know! PS I’ve placed 7 political bets in my life and ALL have WON. 2011 won £1100 at 3/1 on SNP winning – inside sources again tonight ….. You deserve every penny you take off those English ignorant big bucks idiots!!! Go for it Wingers!!
Sunshine CiF stands for Comment is Free it’s the Guardian’s below the line (BTL) area for comments on articles, similar to HYS (Have your say) on the BBC (Biased Broadcasting Corporation) Hope that helps 😉
Been driving around Edinburgh this afternoon with the new Nickelback song “Revolution” blaring out the speakers and the window.
Was supposed to be working tonight but came home and knocked some doors with the local YES team. And then my Mum emailed me this:
youtu.be/Tv5pOjtQoFU
oddschecker site down, curious…
@ Chic Mc gregor – just added your pic to my post – looks really great and adds a great deal to the impact. Thanks a lot!
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Tonight is the first time in my life I wish I took a drink. I had one and I mean one drink, over 50years ago and suffered such a severe reaction from it I have never had another nor have I had any wish to, no matter the occasion, but tonight just feels different
I’ll just go and make a coffee
Just been to vote, wanted to saviour the day. I asked the yes guy how he felt things were going and he was quietly confident although he said very few, unlike yourself, are wearing badges the local red brigade have been there in force all day (ex mining village) but he said they had got a lot of winks and nods
Been sleeping early last 3 nights and a wee nap today to make sure i’ll see it all the way through.
I want to thank all of the Wingers.
You have made this campaign exciting and fun. Now 20 minutes before the count for our destiny starts, when is it safe to hyperventilate?
@ Wrinkly Reborn
“‘Nemo me impune lacessit ‘ ( None attack me with impunity ). Perhaps the should have checked.
He may be able to translate the words but he does not understand their meaning.
Very simple really.
Ha, Its only easy if you know the answer to CiF. Thank you for the replies as I type this from Cynical and Caroline.
I had a good out loud belly laugh at your BBC comment Caroline.
Cynical, you have been one of the most recognisable contributors on here for me.
Just going to sit back and enjoy now.
HELP from down here in CYMRU/Wales, your cherished Celtic cousins!
Can someone let me have links to ANY live streams that are doing the rounds on the internet… Glasgow/Edinburgh??
Can’t/won’t miss this momentous night in the politics of these islands! Desperado!!
Diolch / tapadh leat / thanks and GO ALBA!
tim
here’s one
link to youtube.com
bet365 just pushed out the odds on over 55% yes to 16/1…paddy power still at 8/1…anybody fancy a last minute flutter get on…but it is slightly worrying that they can offer these odds
Tîm Criced i Gymru says:
HELP from down here in CYMRU/Wales, your cherished Celtic cousins!
Can someone let me have links to ANY live streams that are doing the rounds on the internet… Glasgow/Edinburgh??
Can’t/won’t miss this momentous night in the politics of these islands! Desperado!!
Diolch / tapadh leat / thanks and GO ALBA!
There is an event that should have started in George Square Tim but it hasn’t started started on Livestream but when it does you should be able to watch it here. 😉
link to new.livestream.com
which channel is everyone watching SKY or BBC(wash my mouth)
Try the STV Player. Hopefully it will work this time. Better than the Beeb as there are no territorial restrictions, so I can watch from here in cloudy North Carolina – the most Scottish state in the Union, allegedly.
Tîm Criced i Gymru
it was working earlier 🙁
Bugger (the Panda)
Anenet “Nemo me impune lacessit” –
Personally, I prefer to translate it as: “Whau daur meddle wi me”.
Lest we forget Willie MacRae murdered by the Establishment, in our independent country the inquiry into his death MUST be reopened.. YES WE CAN!!
I’m thinking of watching SKY Bookie. Well at least to start with. If Boulton is on then I may not be able to stomach much. 🙂
Second on my list of possible viewings is ITV. We don’t get STV Dan Suff here in D&G. 🙁 Bernard Ponsonby is on that one so might give him a try particularly if Boulton, or who ever it is on SKY gets my goat! 😛
I will at all costs be avoiding the BBC with vengeance! 😀
@ Socrates
Agreed
Off to bed as I am in a different time zone and will be up at about 7am Scottish time.
YES I said Scottish time.
This tune is rather fitting for the moment!
link to youtube.com
Let’s hope it’s Apocalypse time for the UK Establishment! 🙂
I have always believed we should be an independent country and today I actually got to vote. Thanks to everyone who made this happen. If you have padded the streets, canvassed, donated, argued, debated, whatever. We have arrived at this point because we have all done something to get here. Thank you everyone. I’m amazed and astonished.
Manky Bird on pravda 1 , might be good watching her a*se crash
cheaper oil in 4 mins
Off to bed till 04.00, then on with the internet and TV – if I can sleep that is…
From Stu’s twitter…
I’m walking round the social-housing scheme where I grew up. It’s as still as the grave. But right now it’s a nation.
It’s still too misty to see its future
Six minutes left. I’m scared to go back indoors in case this is the last time. If I stay outside, nothing can happen.
hello everyone,
always been a yes voter but only came to wings a mere ten days ago.was sick of BBC and Press bias, so thought there must be an alternative and after a few clicks there it was
And in the course of ten days i have laughed, sang new songs wept lots of tears..heard Tommy Sheridan again after too long an absence and become a die hard fan of AS.
hardly slept all week and when i put my cross in that yes box this morning i was like a kid again all happy (i am 47 by the way)tonight i feel like its new year, so before i have a wee sip of brandy and couple of hours shut eye i would like to say good luck wingers proud to be one of you tonight you are all heroes whatever the outcome your country is proud of you…
For all Wings people. A wee film about the referendum:
‘Autumn Leaves’
Password: scotland
(Note: password all lower case)
Enjoy.
Well, that’s it then – the die is cast.
link to theguardian.com lashings of liggers in one last big push. They have lied about and insulted Scottish democracy so hard for so long, I highly doubt they spoke to anyone anywhere. If we win, I’m heading to Gruan HQ and do my told you so dance in front of the upper class twit editor that’s exposed the smiley face of UKOK fascism for it really is.
Now we find out if my children have been cheated out of a better future.
We’ve won Wingers! Friend spoke to Michael Crick, confirmed, AS spoke to ex Labour FM HMcL and said just that ..Glasgow will vote Yes …massive car cavalcade around the schemes … Huge turnout! Congratulations Wingers …, Hope wins over Fear!!
Not long now.
Here we go.
Cheers
Is there any info available on the estimate needed in each region (on average) to reach the key independence tipping point?
This is it fellow Scots, open your windows & doors and let the new air in.. empty all your bins and be ready for Day One of our pre-independent Scotland.
Here’s a thought for fun..
AT MIDNIGHT TONIGHT, turn all your house-lights ON as a show of YES, or flash them on & off. Do it for your country X
Oh F…. YESSS
@croompenstein, I think this is what you are referring;
link to scottishrepublicansocialistmovement.org
Prof Curtice may be on his last fat paycheck tonight. He may as well come clean now and tell it like it is.
What’s to lose?
O.K. folks that is it! The polls are now closed! We have done everything we could have done. There is nothing more we can do now except sit back, RELAX and enjoy the moment. HISTORY is in the making people and WE, the people of SCOTLAND were at the heart of it. So let’s enjoy ourselves people!
So just before we get too relaxed let’s all get up on our feet and BOOGIE, BOOGIE for SCOTLAND! 😛
link to tinyurl.com
And now the count, except for clearing the queues, begins.
Comhgairdeachas ár gcairde-ghaeil in Albain!
Well played on the site folks- you were a lone voice for so long, and along with the Weebluebook folks you helped stymie the flow of propoganda whicg was a collosal achievement in itself. Bring on the count!
There is considerable giddiness here in Dublin tonight at the thought of a YES vote. There have been referenda shocks here in Ireland when people voted en masse against the Establishment line.
But compared to what I think is about to happen in fair Alba tonight, it is a mere quiver comapred to a quake.
I don’t expect you good folk will sleep much tonight, but I wish you all the best regardless of the outcome. You should be proud.
Sláinte agus gach dea-ghuí ó Eire anocht.
This is a wee bit like waiting for the Bells, although thankfully Jackie Bird’s phyzog is absent, I’ve a hauf of Grouse at hand, getting rid of Union whisky on principle, probably bought it at Asda so that’ll be binned also. 🙂
Reading the posts from all you lovely people and thinking of auld freins that are gone and new freins I’ve been priveleged to meet on this journey. Many thanks to the Rev & Co for Wings.
Off to the scratcher, an early rise, “Tomorrow the Unicorn Will Be Free!”
There’s no Exit Polls, these have shaped betting on every gen election!
The English mugs are betting the wrong way. … Old opinion polls!
We’ll win YES ….. AS preparing is speech as I type this
Now, it doesn’t matter what they say, they can’t frighten any more pensioners into a No. It would be safe to turn on the BBC – but why would we ever want to again?
Can someone post the Indy live events at George square please? Ta x
Extraordinary watching ferocious anti Scottish democracy BBC, airbrush itself out of the Bettertogether campaign right now.
Good luck to all my friends up in Scotland. As an Englishman with deep personal and family links to Scotland, my prayers are with you as I sit up and watch the results roll in. A Scotland free of corrupt Westminster rule will be a beacon of hope to those of us equally dissatisfied but currently powerless.
Just a wee aside. 4 of my friends went out this morning to visit as many polling stations as possible in the 4 hours allowed them. They were armed each with time & motion Study clickers that i had available from my previous job.
Their mission was to click once each time they heard a North West of England voice.
The results are in Glasgow East. started at Bannerman High ended Tollcross 142 clicks. Glasgow North. Started at the bottom of the High Street ended out in the country somewhere around bishopbriggs. 134 clicks. Glasgow South. Started at the Salmarket ended up at Busby. 256 clicks. Glasgow West. Started Argyll Street ended up somewhere around Paisley 248 clicks Total Clicks 800. Useless information I know but what the hell are they all in Glasgow for??? Not to vote I suspect. My pal thinks some of them were monitors for better together.
Livestream is now LIVE folks! 😛
link to new.livestream.com
link to new.livestream.com
Radio 5 Live (yes I know, it’s the BBC 😛 ) just reported turn out is expected to be 90-95%. The important thing about that is that whatever the result it disqualifies any attempt to claim there was a “Silent Majority”, the result we’ll get is what Scotland truly believes…
BB; “screwed forever”.
You’ve nicked my words!
link to t.co
It’ll be YES!
SKY quite good–will stick with it
Blair McD. still saying NO will win. But looks a wee bit ragged.
Achh sleep! I’m on plan ‘B’ I’ll try and stick it out.
If it’s over 90% turn out, we win!
call me dave
sleep i tried it earlier on it didn’t happen. 🙂
@ Lesley-Ann
Think i need a spell in yon darkened room..any chance? Its been a roller coaster every second has felt like a life time. Good God id take a 50.1% win right now..the suspense is a killer. Still have hope we’ll do it as the turn out seems unprecedented. Having a drink to steady the ship. A san miguel a day keeps the union away!
Just after 7am here in Australia. Have been up half the night following the posts on here. Thanks to you all for helping me to be part of this from so far away. I’ve been waiting for this moment for over 40 years. Not long to go now. Stop the world. Scotland is about to get back on!
Thanks guys x
5 people, who were No’s, I have worked on for ages finally text me tonight to say 4 of them voted Yes.
The most staunch No did vote No.. but 4 out of 5 ain’t too bad 🙂
Well done, be proud of yourself!
Not long now till we know our fate. Place looks like a communications centre as we have TVs and computers at the ready to search for inklings of what the result might be, and post our comments between gulps of wine or whisky. This is our time. We await the news of the Yes vote. Been a memorable day and hopefully will be an even more memorable evening.
Here’s something to celebrate.
The turnout in Kirkcudbright at 2140 was 87%.
The pollsters are saying that if the turnout gets over 80% all previous polls are wrong!
It’s going to be an interesting night!
Slainte
Relieved ministers in London rumours!! sky.
Western Isles / Eilean Siar which was hoping to be the first to declare may be held up due to bad fog. Still hoping to get the votes in though – ferries and boats on standby.
Also some problem with the postal votes not getting through as the ‘mail plane’ (or any other plane) failed to land in Stornoway today. Was wanting to see ‘my Island’ be the first to declare a Yes.
link to hebrides-news.com
Can we rip down states of Britain and replace them with ones of wee Eck please?
EdinScot you are more than welcome! EVERYONE is welcome to the “Darkened Room” we have space enough for every one who is passionate about our future as an INDEPENDENT country. 😉
If the door is closed Edin the key is under the mat! 😛
When that first result comes in I will be relieved.It will give us a small picture of how strong the yes vote is.
Just wanted to add my thanks to Rev Stu. He can be a bit smart alecky, a bit rude with his language (hey, I’m one to talk!) but by christ, we owe him so much. I’ve been on here sincce about the turn of the year and thoroughly enjoyed it. There’s just not enough hours in the day to enjoy it all! Well done everybody for your efforts. I’ve done a lot of delivering but no canvassing, personal circumstances couldn’t alow it and I’m sorry about that. But I know I can sleep at night, having done my bit to make Scotland independent.
I’ve been saying 57% since July, even before the polls narrowed and I’m sticking to that. I will have to go to bed as I’m knackered and didn’t sleep well last night. I expect to be coming downstairs tomorrow morning with trepidation, like I did when Andy Murray was 2-2 in US Open final and I went to bed despondent and then turned on the tv and got such a rush – tomorrow is that x 1,000,000. Hope it’s the same result, a Scottish victory. Oh God, I’m getting emotional, totally drained. We will do it, we have to.
From the attitude on Sky, something does not feel right.
Call me Dave, I heard that on Sky, how can they be relieved when the polling stations only closed 20 mins ago?
Fellow wingers, I came across this list of the declaration times of the area counts in the 1997 referendum:
00:41 Clackmannan
00:50 South Lanarkshire
01:49 West Lothian
01:54 Orkney
01:59 Renfrewshire
02:11 Western Isles
02:15 Moray
02:20 Dundee
02:27 East Renfrewshire
02:31 South Ayrshire
02:37 East Lothian
02:45 Dumfries & Galloway
02:53 Falkirk
02:57 Stirling
03:02 Perth & Kinross
03:05 Edinburgh
03:09 Midlothian
03:13 Shetland
03:17 West Dumbartonshire
03:22 Inverclyde
03:27 Angus
03:32 Glasgow
03:36 Fife
03:40 Borders
03:46 East Ayrshire
03:50 North Ayrshire
04:08 North Lanarkshire
04:13 Aberdeen
04:17 East Dumbartonshire
04:21 Aberdeenshire
04:27 Argyll & Bute
05:47 Highland
Hope this is of use.
my fear is silent NO vote
project fear
With the bloated McLiar facing (political) death, could we see the best public heart attack since Tommy Cooper?
Thank you Stuart for masterminding the WBB and for everything you have done to ensure that we in Scotland have been provided with ample evidence on which to base our vote today.
Your forensic analysis of the MSM’s distortions and your patient deconstruction of their falsehoods to reveal the unvarnished, unspun truth has been utterly compelling.
I congratulate you and your regular contributors for all your efforts.
Win or lose, you and your fellow online journalists at Bella, Newsnet Scotland, Paul at WGD, Derek Bateman and Andrew at LPW have served up a lesson in journalism to the complacent liggers and hacks and press-release regurgitators in the MSM.
My sincerest thanks to all of you.
John.
C’em on peeple
I am off to my bear pit.
Give a dream until I awake at 5 am.
I need more than bamboo.
We have won.
Indy Scot, remember the 1992 Westminster GE. It was “Labour Working Majority” then “Labour with small majority” followed by “Hung Parliament with Labour largest party” then a long time at “Hung, Conservatives largest party.” Dimbleby’s face when he said “Conservatives have won a majority” was a picture.
Just heard on the Livestream, well known BNP face at polling station in Polloksheilds. Also Labour prospectivee councillor reported as arrested for kicking someone outside a polling station – she was from Liverpool.
Valerie here is the report from the Liverpool Echo. 😉
link to liverpoolecho.co.uk
I gaurentee there are people out there who voted no don’t feel anything like us the yes voters do right now. And this feeling will last a lifetime but the no voters remorse will be eternal.
A. Carmichael playing a straight bat. Oh! sorry, he now reverts to type with a comment that YES in your face all the time threats to bankers and business!
Jam still on the menu..blah! blah!
Live from Glasgow is now on.
Sky have basically called it for No.
looks like undecided went to NO
ffs
On your marks everyone… 🙂
Predicting a 10% no win on Sky. Good God. Nothing like what I have seen out there today
Think they might be sending the english population to bed with the union ok pish, but when they wake up its gauny be a different story
Odds for a Yes is now 11/1 at Betfair ! what is happening ?
Lesley Anne, Is it ok to have a smoke in the darkened room ?
My nerves are shattered, and face muscles are aching from smiling for hours at peeps arriving at the station.
Lets be honest, they know nothing until the results come in
Odds shifting might be this The latest YouGov #indyref opinion poll puts the Yes vote on 46%, with the No vote on 54%.
Unfortunately Defo we’re covered by all these health rules thingys but we do have a smoking area outside which is covered, appropriately and has it’s own access to the bar. 😛
@JimnArlene – Yes that’s it justice for Willie MacRae, there will be countless others that we don’t know about but Willie’s death must be properly investigated and the perpetrators on behalf of the British State must be brought to justice.
My best mate and has just finished working at the Motherwell count centre and his wife is just starting there as a supervisor.
I asked him there if the counts are safe and free from rigging and to be honest he snapped at me and said I don’t know how people can think that as there is no chance it could happen.
For once I was glad to be TELT lol.
I trust him 100% so I am happy all will be ok. 🙂
Bookies have called it for No, you can now get over 10/1 on Yes win.
Lesley Anne, Kenny is busy. Any chance of an exception for a tee totalling stoner ?