People in Scotland began voting on Thurday on whether the country should stay in United Kingdom or become independent. Voters will answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’, to the referendum question-- ‘Should Scotland be an independent country?’ According to media reports, people started arriving as soon as the polling boots opened at 6 am GMT.
It the Scots vote ‘yes’, it would end a union dating back 300 years. It could also raise serious questions about Britain’s status on the international stage and could force Prime Minister David Cameron to resign. Cameron issued a plea to Scots to vote in the favour of ‘staying in our home’ and warned that a break-up could result in ‘serious economic uncertainty’.
The voting is being closely watched around the world, with the world financial markets in a volatile state over the uncertainty of the outcome. The White House also released a statement from President Barack Obama, saying that it hoped that the United Kingdom stayed ‘strong, robust and united.'
Read: The essential guide to Scotland's vote on independence
With around 97 per cent of the electorate (around 4.3 million people) registered to vote, a historically high turnout is expected. The electorate was expanded to include thousands of 16 and 17 year olds. The result is expected on Friday morning.
Image: A boy waves the Scotland flag as around 45 lakh people vote on the country's independence on Thursday. Photograph: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
