Of the many campaign battlegrounds, Twitter certainly showed the heat as Scots took to the ballot box
It’s been a well-fought and well-fretted campaign on all sides, as results for the Scottish Referendum flood our media this morning: victory for the No campaign, the United Kingdom stays united. Prime Minister David Cameron sent his congratulations to Alistair Darling, chair of the Better Together campaign, even before the complete results were announced as the result indications became clear. The margin was narrow, but sufficient to spell at least another 20 years of union.
While the traditional outlets – from BBC to Sky, The Guardian to The Sun – have assiduously reported on one of the most historic polls in modern British history, citizen journalism has also been in full swing over social media.
#Twitter has made election-night television coverage obsolete. #scotlanddecides
— john kimelman (@johnkimelman) September 19, 2014
Twitter was alive as both voting and vote-counting took over the past 24 hours of Britain’s life. Although the No campaign took home the trophy of electoral victory, on Twitter at least the Yes campaign came out on top with over seven million tweets, reports The Drum. Here we bring some of the best, brightest and quirkiest tweets from this night to remember.
1. “Please Do Not Sit On The Fence”
Hands down one of the best pictures I’ve ever seen #indyref pic.twitter.com/p7bF0MOg6t — St Andrews Radio (@standrewsradio) September 18, 2014
Coincidence of providential proportions. Or perhaps the polling officers felt inspired.
2. Friends by Saturday
Big day in Scotland tomorrow #indyref. My head says no and my heart shouts it – but whatever happens, I hope we’re all friends by Saturday.
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) September 17, 2014
Perhaps the Better Together campaign’s most prominent supporter, and certainly its most generous donor, J.K. Rowling, creator of Harry Potter, approached the polls with a note of reconciliation.
3. The #IndyRef Drinking Game
How has no one started an #indyref drinking game?? Rules are; if you hear the words “Historic” or “Surprising”, you have to down a Dram.
— Stuart B. (@Stuie_22) September 19, 2014
Or “momentous”.
4. “The Box! The Box!”
“…or you can trade it all in for what’s in this box.” “The box! The box!” #indyref pic.twitter.com/h21rLm4Ecu
— SimpsonsQOTD (@SimpsonsQOTD) September 18, 2014
Mr Burns makes an offer you can’t refuse.
5. Compared to America…
Just in case you don’t understand the significance of #ScotlandDecides, the last time Scotland was independent was before America existed.
— Brett Belding (@bbelding) September 19, 2014
The union of England and Scotland spans 307 long years. As this astute tweeter points out, that’s before the present United States of America was formed. With Scots of the Yes campaign sharing a common ground of battling for independence from the English as Americans did 238 years ago, it is unsurprising that plenty of Americans sympathised with their cause.
6. The Doctor for First Minister
You know.. The Doctor is Scottish. This is probably the third time the election is happening and we don’t even know it #indyref
— CH (@error_magnet) September 19, 2014
How could we forget?
7. Paul the Octopus
It’s at times like this I mourn the passing of Paul the Octopus. He’d have had this whole thing figured in the wave of a tentacle. #indyref
— Sue Perkins (@sueperkins) September 18, 2014
We could have had this sorted over the span of a cuppa. But then, some of us live for an all-nighter of political drama.
8. Counting with the Count
Over to the Count in Glasgow… #ScotlandDecides pic.twitter.com/VcDmf2B5NB
— Dr Paul Coxon (@paulcoxon) September 18, 2014
No doubt the sleepless night-counters would have done anything for a visit from the Count.
9. The 110%
CNN puts a 110% effort into everything they do. #ScotlandDecides pic.twitter.com/HbXWxgd3vC
— Maddie Di Muccio (@MaddieDiMuccio) September 18, 2014
CNN could clearly have done with a visit from the Count too.
10. Her Majesty
Staying up to see if Scotland meets its reserve on eBay.
— Elizabeth Windsor (@Queen_UK) September 18, 2014
Apparently one has been following the possible separation of one’s dominion rather closely. One is pleased to see one continues to rule all.
11. The Doges Speak
Inevitable Doge tweet #indyref #ScotlandDecides pic.twitter.com/q2pmgFsEtX
— General Boles (@GeneralBoles) September 18, 2014
So democracy.
12. Scotland’s future in Scotland’s hands
This has been a remarkable day. Scotland’s future truly is in Scotland’s hands. #IndyRef pic.twitter.com/buvgOO9j7p
— Alex Salmond (@AlexSalmond) September 18, 2014
Alex Salmond’s thoughts as polls closed are shared by many, regardless of where they stand on this vote. With a whopping 97 per cent of the electorate registering to vote – that’s 4,285,323 people – and equivalently high turnouts reported across the nation’s polling stations, Scotland came out in force for this referendum. As David Miliband put it, “Scots have taught us all a lesson in democracy.”
Image from: https://twitter.com/paulcoxon/status/512736917423534080/photo/1