Where are the top players in the Scottish independence referendum now?

On September 18 2014, voters crossed Scotland wrote an ‘X’ connected their ballot and held their enactment successful 1 of the astir important governmental events successful the country’s history.

There was not overmuch uncertainty astir the apt effect of the referendum connected independence, with astir each canvass indicating Scots would cull the idea.

But determination was a frisson of uncertainty among supporters of separation from the UK – the borderline of mistake was truthful choky that a daze effect was possible.

And careless of however Scotland voted, it was wide that the information of the referendum had changed thing for the agelong term. The genie was retired of the bottle: radical were talking astir what independency would mean, and they were not astir to stop.

Yet a decennary on, remarkably small has changed successful presumption of enactment and opposition.

Even aft Brexit and 14 years of Conservative authorities – some wide unpopular successful Scotland – arsenic good arsenic contention implicit the finances of the SNP that resulted successful the arrests of apical figures, the disagreement remains intact.

The 2014 results showed 55% were opposed to independency and 45% supported it. A recent YouGov poll showed those figures are present 56% and 44% respectively.

However, the past 10 years person held bonzer ups and downs for the main figures progressive successful the referendum. Here’s what has happened to them since.

Alex Salmond

As archetypal minister, Alex Salmond won an unprecedented bulk for the pro-independence SNP astatine the 2011 Scottish Parliament election.

He pointed to that effect successful negotiations with Prime Minister David Cameron, which ended with an statement to clasp a referendum connected the contented successful 2014.

After it became wide that Scotland had voted against leaving the UK, Salmond announced helium would measurement down arsenic enactment person and archetypal minister. His lawman Nicola Sturgeon ran unopposed to regenerate him.

Despite leaving office, helium loomed ample successful the 2015 UK General Election with the Conservatives accusing Labour of considering a conjugation with the SNP – and producing a poster depicting Ed Miliband successful Salmond’s pocket.

At that election, Salmond was elected arsenic MP for Gordon. He stayed successful Westminster until being ousted from the spot by the Tories successful 2017.

In August 2018, helium near the SNP pursuing allegations of intersexual misconduct portion helium was archetypal minister. The pursuing year, helium was arrested and charged with 14 offences including 2 counts of attempted rape.

He was cleared of each charges successful March 2020 pursuing a high-profile proceedings astatine the High Court successful Edinburgh.

In 2021, helium became person of the Alba Party, different pro-independence enactment that faced disconnected straight with the SNP. Widely considered a location for nationalists who disagree with SNP positions connected issues specified arsenic gender, Alba has been universally unsuccessful successful each predetermination since its founding.

David Cameron

David Cameron took 2 large gambles connected referendums during his clip arsenic premier minister. One paid off, the different precise overmuch did not.

The PM near astir of the campaigning up of the independency ballot to different figures including erstwhile Labour chancellor Alistair Darling, possibly knowing an relation with the Tories mightiness not person helped the pro-Union origin successful Scotland.

After the result, helium said successful a speech extracurricular Downing Street: ‘Like millions of different people, I americium delighted. As I said during the campaign, it would person breached my bosom to spot our United Kingdom travel to an end.’

Things did not spell rather arsenic good for Cameron successful his 2nd referendum – the 1 successful 2016 connected whether the UK would enactment successful the European Union.

The state voted for Brexit and helium resigned arsenic premier minister. Two months later, helium stepped down from the House of Commons too.

After maintaining a debased illustration for galore years, Cameron was appointed arsenic overseas caput and handed a peerage by PM Rishi Sunak successful November 2023.

Nicola Sturgeon

As Salmond’s deputy, Nicola Sturgeon was enactment successful complaint of the SNP’s run for a ‘Yes’ ballot successful the referendum.

After the defeat, she was elected unopposed arsenic SNP person – making her the archetypal pistillate Scottish archetypal curate and de facto caput of the pro-independence movement.

She grew the enactment to go 1 of the astir important forces successful British politics, taking each but 3 Scottish seats successful Westminster astatine the 2015 General Election.

Sturgeon became the longest-serving archetypal curate successful May 2022, and unexpectedly announced she would beryllium stepping down the pursuing year. She was replaced by her wellness caput Humza Yousaf.

Her hubby Peter Murrell was arrested astatine their Glasgow location 2 months aft her resignation during a constabulary probe into the SNP’s finances.

On June 11 2023, Sturgeon was besides arrested arsenic portion of the probe. She was released without complaint aboriginal that day.

The ex-first curate remains nether probe by Police Scotland, portion Murrell was charged with embezzling enactment funds successful April.

Alistair Darling

Alistair Darling served arsenic the Chancellor of the Exchequer nether Gordon Brown betwixt 2007 and Labour’s decision astatine the 2010 General Election, starring the UK’s effect to the planetary fiscal crisis.

In 2012, helium stepped up to pb an autarkic confederation betwixt unionist parties Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives named Better Together.

It became the authoritative dependable of the pro-UK run up of the independency referendum.

During the campaign, helium took portion successful 2 fiery televised debates against Alex Salmond. Snap polls pursuing each brushwood recovered voters believed Darling won the archetypal and Salmond won the second.

Darling was nominated for a beingness peerage successful 2015 and sat successful the House of Lords until retiring successful 2020.

He died connected November 30 past year, 2 days aft his 70th birthday. Politicians from parties crossed the governmental spectrum paid tribute to him, with Brown praising his ‘unimpeachable integrity’ and Salmond describing him arsenic ‘formidable’ but ‘extremely courteous’.

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