Salmond to quit after Scots vote No

Salmond's interview after Scots vote No

Alex Salmond is to step down as Scottish first minister after voters rejected independence.

He will also resign as leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP), which he has led for a total of 20 years.

Scottish voters backed the country staying in the UK by 2,001,926 votes to 1,617,989 in Thursday's referendum.

In Thursday's referendum, 55% of voters chose to stay part of the United Kingdom while 45% were in favour of going it alone, with a record turnout of 84.5%.

Mr Salmond said he was "immensely proud" of the Yes campaign but believed party, parliament and country would "benefit from new leadership" to take the devolution process forward.

He added: "My time as leader is nearly over but for Scotland... the dream shall never die."

With the votes from all 32 council areas in, the result was a victory for the No camp by 2,001,926 votes to 1,617,989.

The outcome has left a country divided, with Yes majorities in four areas including Dundee and the nation's largest city Glasgow.

Mr Salmond announced his resignation as David Cameron promised new powers for Scotland.

The First Minister, 59, said now was the "opportunity to hold Westminster's feet to the fire on the 'vow' they have made to devolve further meaningful power to Scotland".

He said he had spoken on the telephone to the Prime Minister who had "reiterated his intention to proceed as he outlined".

"But he would not commit to a second reading vote by March 27 on a new Scotland Bill", which the SNP leader said was a clear promise set out by Gordon Brown in the campaign.

The PM said such a vote would be "meaningless", according to Mr Salmond, who added: "I suspect he can't guarantee the support of his party."

Mr Salmond said some people will be "incandescent" if they see "slippage" from a timetable clearly set out just a few days ago.

He said it had been the "privilege of my life to serve as First Minister" and will quit after the SNP's annual conference in Perth in November.

Mr Salmond, who has been SNP leader for 20 years and seven years as First Minister, added: "We lost the referendum vote but Scotland can still carry the political initiative. Scotland can still emerge as the real winner."

SNP Deputy Leader Nicola Sturgeon said she could think of "no greater privilege" than to take the top job but insisted the decision was "not for today".

She said: "Alex Salmond's achievements as SNP leader and Scotland's First Minister are second to none. He led the SNP into government and has given our country a renewed self confidence."

The Prime Minister spoke of Mr Salmond's "huge talent and passion", while Alistair Darling, head of the No campaign, and Labour leader Ed Miliband said he was a "formidable" politician.

Mr Cameron said the new powers he, Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband had promised Scotland in the dying days of campaigning would be "honoured in full".

And he said work would start on a "full and fair settlement for all of the UK" in what appeared to be a shift towards a more federalist UK and that plans would be drawn up by the Leader of the House of Commons, William Hague.

Labour dismissed Mr Cameron's plans as "knee-jerk" and Mr Miliband set out his own proposal for a Constitutional Convention and political reform of Westminster as he arrived for the Labour Party conference in Manchester.