Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond has announced his resignation after failing to secure a majority for independence from the UK in a referendum.
Salmond told a press conference on Friday that he will stand down as Scotland's first minister and Scottish National Party (SNP) leader in November, when the party elects its next leader in a membership vote.
"I am immensely proud of the campaign that Yes Scotland fought and particularly of the 1.6 million voters who rallied to that cause," he said, adding, “For me as leader my time is over. But for Scotland the campaign continues and the dream shall never die.”
Salmond has led the SNP for some 20 years.
Scottish Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who was appointed by Salmond to lead the referendum process, is likely to succeed the first minister.
Following Salmond’s announcement, Sturgeon said she could think of "no greater privilege" than to succeed him as the SNP leader and first minister, but that the decision is for another time.
Addressing pro-independence supporters on Friday, Salmond conceded defeat over his bid to win independence and demanded that Westminster deliver on its promises of passing down more powers to Scotland.
In the run-up to the vote, leaders of Britain’s main political parties promised extensive powers for Scotland if Scots voted to remain in the UK. The leaders said Edinburgh would receive more powers, including the tax-raising authority.
The first minister’s remarks came shortly after official results in almost all the 32 council areas of Scotland showed that some 55 percent of Scottish people have voted against the country’s independence from the UK in the Thursday referendum.
