Scotland has voted to remain part of the United Kingdom.

With 31 out of the country’s 32 council areas having declared so far this morning after yesterday’s referendum the ’No’ side has an unassailable lead of 1,914,187 votes to 1,539,920.

That means around 55% of voters rejected independence.

Scotland’s First Minister, Alex Salmond, has said: "It is important to say that our referendum was an agreed and consented process and Scotland has by a majority decided not at this stage to become an independent country.

"I accept that verdict of the people and I call on all of Scotland to follow suit in accepting the democratic verdict of the people of Scotland."

Senior supermarket bosses had warned food prices would go up in the face of a yes vote. And the financial markets had dipped when an earlier poll had predicted Scotland would go it alone.