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Uncertainty, national identity were key factors in "no" victory in Scotland's referendum

Votes against independence fed by sense of Britishness, doubts over future, fear of worsening economic situation, according to university study · Last-hour offer for more self-government had a marginal role in voters' decisions · Majority of native Scots, people aged younger than 50 voted "yes"

National identity of voters had a role in the defeat of the "yes" campaign in Scotland's referendum on independence, according to a University of Edinburgh and University of Essex study unveiled today. Belief in the Union and a sense of Britishness is the most quoted reason (29.5%) by those who claim to have voted "no", followed by the fact that many questions about Scotland's future remained unanswered (27.8%) and because Scotland would have been worse off economically (26.3%) in the event of independence.

Those answers seem to deny the idea that the promise of more autonomy for Scotland made by Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat leaders David Cameron, Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg the week before the referendum had a very significant impact on voter preferences. In fact, among those who admit having switched their preference from "yes" to "no", most point to the economic and political uncertainty (66%) and only 10% say the promise of more powers moved them to reject independence. A further 10% argue their reason to vote "no" was the "aggressive" and "dishonest" campaign by the "yes" camp.

As for those who claim having voted "yes", the reasons quoted are mainly four: the desire that Scotland always gets the governments it votes for (24.8%), the perception that "Westminster system is rotten" (24.1%), the idea that independence is the natural state for a nation (21.8%), and the belief that Scotland would be better off if independent (20.1%).

Majority of native Scots voted "yes"

As shown in the chart below, "yes" was the winning option among those born in Scotland: 52.7% of this group supported independence. However, those born in the rest of the UK voted massively against (72.1%). More support for independence was drawn among those born outside the UK (43%).

Regarding national identities, those who only feel Scottish, or more Scottish than British, voted in favor of secession, while those who feel as Scottish as British, more British than Scottish, or British only, opted for unity by a very wide margin.

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As regards age, "yes" to independence won among those aged 16 to 49. People older than 50 rejected secession. Out of them, the widest margin is to be found among those older than 70, as 65% of that group voted "no".

The sample of the study -carried out by the YouGov institute- is 4,849 people, a larger one than usual opinion surveys in the UK -which are often at 1,000 people.

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