Scotland stepped back from the brink of ending the 307-year-old union with England and Wales and was on track to remain part of the United Kingdom by a comfortable 
margin, the Guardian reports.
With more than half of Scotland’s local authorities having declared including the major cities of Glasgow and Aberdeen, an estimated 55% of voters were expected to reject the prospectus for independence.
But the yes campaign scored a handful of notable successes, succeeding in the largest city of Glasgow by 53% to 47%, winning 54% in West Dunbartonshire and a convincing 57% win in Dundee.
Prime Minister David Cameron and the Queen will both move to calm tensions when they deliver statements on Friday. The prime minister will seek early in the day, in the words of one cabinet minister, to “cement in” the no vote by outlining how he will deliver the deepening of Scotland’s devolution settlement, the Guardian says.
The Queen, who has monitored the referendum with interest, will make a written statement on Friday afternoon. It is understood that her remarks will focus on reconciliation.
Labor’s exit polling in 30 out of Scotland’s 32 councils suggested they were on course to win by 55% to 45% – a finding that the early results appeared to confirm.
Some 4,283,392 people had registered to vote in the busiest day in Scottish electoral history. Across the board turnouts were high, often well over 80%, although it dropped to 75% in Glasgow.