This morning, thousands of expat Britons woke up in Qatar to learn that Scotland had voted against becoming independent from the United Kingdom.
After months of debate, 55 percent of voters voted against the idea of separating from the UK, while 45 percent said yes.
Shortly after 8am, Scottish National Party leader Alex Salmond spoke to his supporters to concede defeat, but made clear that the vote had not been in vain:
Let's not dwell on the distance we've fallen short – let us dwell on the distance we have travelled
— Alex Salmond (@AlexSalmond) September 19, 2014
Referendum result
The referendum posed the question: “Should Scotland be an independent country.”
Overall, some 2 million voted against independence, while 1.6 million voted for it, the BBC reports. A total of 4.3 million people out of Scotland’s population of  5.3 million registered to vote.
Only residents in Scotland had the right to vote, leaving more than a million expat Scots who live in the rest of the UK or around the world without the ability to directly have a say in the future of their nation.
While the final result may not have gone the way the nationalists had hoped for, the mandate for change of the status quo was significant, and the process has opened up huge questions about the political future, not only for Scotland but also for the rest of the UK.
Meanwhile, with an average voter turnout of more than 84 percent – the highest on record in a Scotland election – many have celebrated a process that has stirred real passions and politicized a nation at home and abroad.
Qatar reaction
Qatar is home to around 20,000 Brits, according to the British Embassy in Doha. The embassy does not have any official figures for the number of Scots living here, but many work in this country’s oil and gas and engineering sectors.
Today, many British expats in Doha voiced their disappointment and delight with the results on Twitter:
@LesleyWalker17 @dohanews devastated and gobsmacked…Scotland the Brave???? Hrumphhhh!!!
— john dennis (@johnjnr) September 19, 2014
@LesleyWalker17 @dohanews Disapointed and embarrassed to have been Scottish.
— Graham A (@graham1A) September 19, 2014
@LesleyWalker17 @dohanews Great turnout, big win for democracy and the right result for the UK (inc. Scotland)
— Adam K (@Akynners) September 19, 2014
@LesleyWalker17 @dohanews Delighted, even though I'm not Scottish. Scotland would have been a perilous state if it went independent.
— Abhijeeth Vijay (@ab_tal) September 19, 2014
https://twitter.com/Naysmithology/status/512834428167401472
Delighted. No change 2 my pillow cases, duvet, beach towel or shower curtain #UnionJackBetterWithBlue @LesleyWalker17 pic.twitter.com/dv5KuPWKsL
— Jono Haysom (@JonoH) September 19, 2014
On a positive note, Scottish economy set for a spike today as nation wakes with hangover and boosts sales of IRN BRU.
— Paul Quinn (@quinnynews) September 19, 2014
And it leaves many to ponder over the future of politics in Scotland and the wider UK:
@LesleyWalker17 @dohanews More concerned about how we move forward.
— millie (@milhydey) September 19, 2014
Two things going forward: does Alex #Salmond survive? And if he does, how does a politically-fractured country reunite? #indyref
— Kamahl Santamaria (@KamahlOnTV) September 19, 2014
Divisions remain
While Scotland’s most populous city Glasgow and its fourth-biggest city Dundee both voted yes to independence, nearly two-thirds (61 percent) of Edinburgh’s people voted to keep the 307-year old union. Some 60 percent of Aberdeen, home of Scotland’s oil industry, also moved to remain in the UK.
The statistics show not only a country divided, but also towns, villages and individual families split in their vision for their country’s future.
And one of the key messages to come out of the campaigning process was a sense of disenfranchisement held by many Scots that Westminster politicians do not understand or respond to Scotland’s needs.
The result poses huge questions not only for the future of Scotland, but also how the rest of the UK will be governed.
The British Prime Minister confirmed that he would be meeting with Alex Salmond to discuss “Devo-max” – devolving more powers to Scotland than it currently receives.
He also hinted that there changes to the way the rest of the UK is governed:
We have heard the voice of Scotland and now the millions of voices of England must also be heard. #IndyRef
— David Cameron (@David_Cameron) September 19, 2014
How do you feel about the result, and the future for the UK? Thoughts?
grounds keeper willie will be upset
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6vDzf-wSbk
Poor Scotts, they will continue to be oppressed by the racist imperial English regime … Our hearts and prayers are with you
You talk some b0ll0cks you do.
You clearly don’t know much of the suffering of the Scotland.. Watch brave heart.. Where an anti-semite alcoholic Australian best describes their story…
He was born in New York….lived most his life in the USA.. he is not Australian. Also sir alcoholism is not a lifestyle choice…
He grew up in Australia, that’s what count. Many Australian actors and such move to the U.S. at their early 20s, or even earlier, to pursue their career, and they end up living there for most of their life. Doesn’t make them Americans.
Also, alcoholic is a word that refers to someone who suffers from alcoholism, and is perfectly fine to use.
🙂
He speaks the truth. The Scots have been denied very basic rights under the imperialist English regime. For instance, Scottish children who live in England are subjected to very cruel treatment such as being forced at school to wear hats made out of haggis, this just so they can be identified as Scots and treated accordingly.
The haggis hat system makes it easier for the school to enforce the racist regime’s will, such as the rule that denys the Scottish kids the right to buy food from the school canteen for instance (Scottish kids are dropped in nearby fields where they are made to share a meal of grass with the sheep if they’re hungry).
Well the current UK PM is Scottish as was the last one. Even tony Blair had Scottish roots.
When will the racist qataris open up citizenship to those born here or have lived here for 15 years like most countries? Does their contribution not count or they here to be paid and oppressed….
Never… We wouldn’t want to end up like England with generation after generation of immigrants on welfare … Clogging up our schools and healthcare while we subsidize their zero contribution to society … Immigrants wielding machetes in parks… Thugs threatening our elders… Parks being unsafe.. Guardsmen brutally stabbed in broad daylight… Youth off fighting a war thousands of miles away and threatening to come back to bomb our capital…
We will stay a proud and pampered nation of if you don’t like it you can leave
That is, until rising tides caused by climate change swamp the country…
An asteroid will hit earth before that time, and your country along with the rest of the world will cease to exist.
Fantastic times.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0h17-2Tjg9s
Shetland islands bearing down on goal now for 4-0 after a lovely through ball on the half way line from Michael Gove who dispossessed Rab C Nesbitt.
plays a 1-2 with Orkney and rounds the keeper
Goal! 4-0!
I swear you’ll never see anything like this ever again! Drink it in!
We’re the famous United Kingdom and we’re going to Wembley
Der der der derrrrr, Alaister Darling
E I E I O, up the credit ratings we go
When PriceWaterhouse rates us, this is what we’ll sing
We are Britain super Britain Gordon Brown is our king
We slip and slide as we fall in love
And I just can’t seem to get enough of you
der der der der der der der der der der der
Michael Gove
der der der der der
How very disappointing. Now the rest of the UK has to put up with 1.3 moaning jocks who wanted to be independent and the rest of the UK will carry on subsidizing them. Alex Salmond should be hanged for treason for stirring up discord in the UK just for his own selfish aim of making his name famous in history.
Now everyone has to pick up the mess
Hanged for treason… How very arabesque of you
He has been here for too long.
MIMH, usually I have a chuckle at your stuff, but you’re off key, here. The referendum was granted by Cameron, following the SNP being voted into power. Scotland has now voted to stay in the Union, and has demonstrated the strength of the democratic process in the UK. Not very treasonous, I would say.
It was a bit tongue in cheek, good to see Salmond smooked though
“hanged for treason for stirring up discord in the UK just for his own selfish aim of making his name famous in history” would you be open to Qatar doing the same too 😉
Actually I am against the death penalty, it was just a saying. After creating this mess he has now resigned.
Thank you for reporting on this, we didn’t know you cared, Doha News! Although many of us Scots didn’t get the result we wanted, all of our people (young and old, yes and no) have become galvanised, inspirited and on the whole, more politically aware than ever. Most importantly, we have shown ourselves as a fair democracy and I couldn’t be prouder of how my country has conducted itself. I hope we can all move on and help to make Scotland and the UK a better place to live for everyone.
I declare September 19th Scottish dependence day
So sad for the rest of the 45 per cent who will be still stuck with the UK for another generation against their wishes
Well conducted vote SCOTLAND! Everyone that lives in Scotland was able to vote and I do not recall seeing any violence! Good show! Proud of my Scottish heritage!