"We lost the referendum vote but Scotland can still carry the political initiative. For me as leader my time is nearly over but for Scotland the campaign continues and the dream shall never die."

Alex Salmond is to stand down as first minister.

First Minister Alex Salmond, speaking to members of the media, said: "I am immensely proud of the campaign that Yes Scotland fought and particularly of the 1.6m voters who rallied to that cause."

@Dilicorne tweets, external: @BBC_HaveYourSay @BBCWorld the fact #scottland would end-up outside of #eu must have played a role in the referendum @Number10gov

Watch highlights of the night Scotland decided to stay part of the union.

Watch #BBCtrending's take on the social media reaction from Scotland's No vote.

Image source, Reuters

First Minister Alex Salmond's first press conference since the result is due to start shortly.

Andrew Black
Political reporter, BBC Scotland

'Yes' backers in good spirits outside parliament. A piper plays as they plan an anti-trident demo tomorrow

Tim Reid
Political correspondent, BBC News

Bernard Jenkin [Conservative backbencher] accusing Ed Miliband of "derailing" PM's devo plans for England and "playing fast and loose" with the Union

@lauraharmes tweets, external: I've basically been awake for 3 days. Things are getting a bit trippy #indyref

Andrew Black
Political reporter, BBC Scotland

Crowds gather at the Scottish Parliament. Many proud independence supporters still wearing 'Yes' badges #indyref

Watch Yes and Better Together supporters giving their reaction to a No vote in the Scottish independence referendum.

One No supporter says he was very pleased when he woke up to the result but is "horrified" at the abuse he says he has been subjected to by Yes campaigners.

"Throughout the whole campaign the nasty side of independence has come from the Yes campaign," he says, but Ms Leckie says "proportionately No has been nastier on social media".

Moving to the more positive, an audience member says Scotland should be very proud that so many people were involved in the referendum campaign, and in politics for the first time. "The most important thing now is that we get these powers of devolution," adds the No voter.

Another lauds the massive turnout - nearly 85% - and the passion she saw during the campaign.

One member of the Big Debate audience gets very animated as she demands "detail, detail, detail please" on any new powers Scotland may receive.

Robin Brant
Political Correspondent, BBC News

Ed Miliband signals that he will not sign up to the prime minister's plan to give more power to the Scottish Parliament at the same time as trying to agree new powers for English MPs.

While accepting the need for reforms, the Labour leader says that he wants a process of debate to begin before the general election but - crucially - he calls for a constitutional convention to finalise reform to happen later, in the autumn of 2015.

David Cameron had earlier said changes to address the so-called English question - to allow English MPs the same powers over England-only legislation that the devolved parliament and assemblies will have in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast - "must take place in tandem with, and at the same pace as, the settlement for Scotland".

Image source, Reuters

BBC Scotland political reporter Andrew Black says the focus is now on how the UK government delivers its promise of more powers for the Scottish Parliament.

He looks more closely at what we can expect next here.

Douglas Fraser
Business and economy editor, Scotland

So when is the next independence referendum? No, hang on. Stop whimpering like that. Bear with me. You may soon have withdrawal symptoms from the campaign, so why not plan for the next one?

After all, 1.6 million people wanted Scotland to be independent - the nationalists among them irreconcilable to UK citizenship, some of them newly and passionately mobilised to the cause.

Image source, Reuters

They may be heart-sore at losing. It will hurt all the more to have seen the opinion polls narrow to a dead heat, with momentum apparently going their way, only to see a decisive result turn against them on the night.

But they're not going away. So what else would happen to their cause but a campaign for another referendum to give it another big heave?

Read Douglas' full blog.

Garth Beecroft: The high turnout shows that people are more interested in politics & policies rather than the person, which is how it should be. It's the bickering between politicians & one-upmanship that turns people off.

Mat Dixon: Is it just me that feels slightly annoyed by the Scots voting No? I think it was unfair that the English cannot have a vote to see if we still want to be in a union with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It seems, from my point of view, that because I am English that everyone assumes that I want to be classed as British. I really hoped that they would vote Yes then we could get on with our own business and they could get on with theirs.

Michael Prager: England must have the same devolved powers on law making and tax-raising as the Celtic fringe of the UK. The famously unwritten constitution of the UK must be amended so that, in balance to greater devolved powers, there is a requirement that no one nation can take decisions that affect the others without a clear, say 2/3 majority across the entire UK on matters that affect the boundaries of the nation, the rule of law or the delegation of powers to non UK, supra national bodies, e.g. The EU.

Lord Smith of Kelvin, who has been appointed to oversee the process of devolving more powers to Scotland, says it is "time for us to come together and work together".

Image source, PA

"I have started work today and will present what I hope will be unifying recommendations on 30 November," he added.

"There will be an opportunity for everyone to have their say. First, I will be speaking to all the UK and Scottish political parties.

"Secondly, I will be engaging the institutions of Scotland, whether it be trade unions, businesses or voluntary organisations.

"Lastly and most importantly, 4.2 million people in Scotland were involved in the referendum. They aren't all represented by political parties or institutions; they are individuals who have ideas and thoughts on our future. I want to reach out to them and make them an essential part of this exciting process."

BBC News website reader: Never felt so ashamed to be Scottish. We chose subservience instead of freedom. The establishment can again celebrate that nothing has changed.

BBC News website reader: Scottish referendum. Now treat England exactly the same. That is - establishment of an English parliament with the same powers and then a referendum on an independent England.

US President Barack Obama welcomes the referendum result, congratulating the Scottish people for a "full and energetic exercise of democracy".

"We have no closer ally than the United Kingdom, and we look forward to continuing our strong and special relationship with all the people of Great Britain and Northern Ireland as we address the challenges facing the world today," he says in a statement.