THE people have spoken and the message is clear – Scotland wants to stay part of the UK.
With 55 per cent of the voters – over two million people – going for the Better Together campaign and leader of the SNP Alex Salmond handing in his resignation, the issue of Scottish independence has been put to bed, at least for now...
But before most had even seen the results on Friday morning, the debate was hotting up about what the vote would mean for England – namely the demand for power from cities and regions.
So what would devolution to local areas looks like, especially here? Jon Collins, leader of Nottingham City Council, said it would give the city a chance to choose how to spend the money it raises, with local expertise knowing the best investments.
"We have taken over public health in Nottingham and not only have we maintained the outcomes, but we have better integrated services more efficiently," he said.
"National work programmes delivered locally have got between two and 10 per cent of those involved into long-term employment. But when we run similar schemes, our figures rise to between 40 and 50 per cent.
"Most of the money we raise goes to Westminster and they give it back to us in penny packets. If it is good enough for Scotland and Wales to be able to make their decisions, then it is good enough for us."
Nottingham is part of the Core Cities group – nine cities outside of London that campaign to promote growth and prosperity in their areas – which backs the calls for further devolution in England, especially when it comes to tax revenues. A statement from the organisation said that the 'no' vote for independence was a 'yes' vote for devolution, adding: "Voters want more powers back in local hands."
Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester City Council and chairman of the Core Cities Cabinet, said: ''Cities drive growth and jobs for their nations, not the other way around. To do so they need more freedom, for example to decide how more of the taxes raised locally are spent locally."
He claimed the nine core cities delivered 27 per cent of the English and Scottish economies combined and that by 2030, the eight English core cities alone could put 1.16 million jobs and £222 billion more into the economy.
Sir Richard said: "The radical, positive alternative to breaking up the UK should be UK-wide devolution that gets power as close as possible to people.''
But councils, such as Rushcliffe and Broxtowe, fear what more power in the city will mean and want a more regional approach.
Milan Radulovic, leader of Broxtowe Borough Council, said: "It would be ridiculous to just devolve power to cities. It would simply concentrate economic powerhouses that swallow up the areas around them.
"A democratically elected regional parliament for the East Midlands would leave Westminster to focus on national issues like the NHS or national security, and let local people deal with the issues that affect them – such as transport, housing and economic growth.
"Doing it this way will give opportunity for us to say 'now your vote really counts' to the public."
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has backed local MPs from all parties calling for more influence at home.
The views of the political elite do not seem to echo those of Nottingham residents.
In a poll of 1,013 people by the Post before the referendum, just one in five said they would be in favour of devolution of powers to Nottingham, with one in seven saying they would like to see it come to the East Midlands.
So whether or not the city or the region gets more powers, they may need to ask if it is what the local people want first.
