Campaigners for and against Scottish independence scrambled for votes on Wednesday on the eve of a knife-edge referendum that will either see Scotland break away from the United Kingdom or gain sweeping new powers with greater autonomy.
The "Yes" and "No" camps mobilised thousands of volunteers to hand out leaflets and hold rallies across Scotland in a final push to win over high numbers of undecided voters.
Three new opinion polls published in Wednesday's papers all suggested a very narrow majority supporting staying in the UK but also showed that the undecideds could swing it either way.
"I'm really optimistic that if we do have independence, we can start building a society that works for all of us," said 24-year-old Sam Hollick, a "Yes" activist from the Green Party who was campaigning at a stand on Edinburgh's Leith Walk blaring the hit song "500 Miles" by Scottish band The Proclaimers.
Down the road at a bus stop, Steven Andrew said he had still not made up his mind.
"I'm going to be reading up on it tonight," he said.
"I'm going to be looking at what side makes the better argument, whether I can believe one side."
In a letter to the people of Scotland, pro-independence First Minister Alex Salmond urged the electorate to seize its historic chance to end the 307-year-old union with England.
"Wake up on Friday morning to the first day of a better country. Wake up knowing you did this -- you made it happen," Salmond wrote.
"It's about taking your country's future into your hands. Don't let this opportunity slip through our fingers. Don't let them tell us we can't. Let's do this."
But Alistair Darling, a former British finance minister who heads up the "No" campaign, said there would be "faster, better change" for Scotland within the United Kingdom.
Britain's three main political parties have promised increased though unspecified powers for the Scottish government in the event of a "No" vote, including on taxes and social welfare.
"We have all built the UK together and we have benefited from that strength... I think it would be a tragedy if that relationship were broken," Darling told BBC radio.
'Torpedo' for Europe
Heather Whiteside, a 21-year-old graduate from Glasgow University who came to see Darling at a campaign event in the city said the prospect of a "Yes" victory was "very scary".
"Nationalism is a bad kind of politics, it tries to create artificial barriers between people," she said.
A vote for independence would have far-reaching implications.
It could lead to Prime Minister David Cameron's resignation and embolden other separatist movements.
Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy weighed in on the debate on Wednesday, branding moves for independence like Spain's Catalonia region a "torpedo" to European integration.
"Everyone in Europe thinks that these processes are hugely negative," financially and economically, Rajoy told the Spanish parliament.
All three polls published on Wednesday showed that support for independence had increased, but that when undecided voters were excluded, going it alone was set to be rejected by 52 percent to 48 percent.
The ICM poll for The Scotsman newspaper said "No" support was ahead on 45 percent to 41 percent, with 14 percent of voters still undecided.
The Opinium research agency said 49 percent of respondents to their survey of 1,156 backed staying in the union, with 45 percent set to vote for independence and six percent undecided.
Meanwhile, a Survation poll for the Scottish Daily Mail said 47.7 percent would vote "No" to independence, and 44.1 percent would vote "Yes", with 8.3 percent choosing "don't know".
'Down to the wire'
The debate has intensified in recent weeks as the polls have narrowed due to a surge in support for "Yes" and there have been fevered discussions in everyday life all over Scotland.
In Edinburgh, Fatima Somner, a 45-year-old cashier of Moroccan origin married to an Englishman, said she was hoping for a "No" victory.
"People who will vote 'no' are the ones who have money. Poorer people are going to vote 'yes'. They hope that things will change for the better for them. But it will be the opposite, everything will become more expensive," she said.
A client interjected: "I will vote 'yes' to be able to control our destiny. We are big enough and brave enough to do it."
The "No" camp has warned that voting for independence would bring economic "uncertainty and risks", while the separatists argue that it would ensure a healthy public sector and a fairer society shielded from London-imposed budget cuts.
Record numbers have registered for the referendum -- 97 percent of eligible voters -- and turnout is expected to be very high with officials saying it could be around 80 percent.
Pro-union Better Together campaign director Blair McDougall said it would be a close call.
"This vote will go right down to the wire," McDougall said.
AFP
Wed Sep 17 2014
People gather for a pro-independence rally in Glasgow's George Square on Sept 17, ahead of the referendum on Scotland's independence. - AFP Photo/Leon Neal
Bajir Dubai: UAE masih bergelut selepas ribut
Operasi di lapangan terbang dan hab perjalanan utama kekal terganggu selepas ribut melanda Selasa lalu.
AWANI Pagi: Jom derma darah, jalankan tanggungjawab sosial anda
Awani Pagi bersama Afiezy Azaman & Nursyazwani Saiful Sham membincangkan mengenai kepentingan menderma darah khususnya untuk membantu mereka yang alami masalah darah disebabkan keturunan atau menghidapi kanser darah. Timbalan Pengarah I, Pusat Darah Negara KKM, Dr Tun Maizura Mohd Fathullah mengajak masyarakat di luar sana tampil menyahut seruan murni ini.
Piala Asia B-23: Indonesia ajar Australia cara main bola
Walaupun Australia mendominasi perlawanan pada separuh masa kedua, kehandalan benteng pertahanan Indonesia mudah mematahkan serangan demi serangan.
Situasi terkini letusan Gunung Ruang di Sulawesi
Untuk berkongsi perkembangan terkini letusan Gunung Berapi Ruang, di talian secara Google Meet ialah Feri Ariyanto, komunikasi badan nasional pencarian dan pertolongan (Basarnas) Manado Sulawesi.
Colombia bergelut masalah air, takungan negara kering
Fenomena El Nino melanda di Colombia pada penghujung 2023, menyebabkan suhu tinggi dan kemarau.
Letusan Gunung Ruang: Gelombang tsunami boleh capai 25 meter
Heruningtyas berkata, potensi tsunami ini mengancam di kawasan sebelah barat Pulau Tagulandang.
Iran beri amaran Israel terhadap tindakan ketenteraan lanjut
Iran memberitahu Majlis Keselamatan Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (UNSC) bahawa Israel mesti dipaksa untuk menghentikan sebarang operasi ketenteraan selanjutnya terhadap kepentingan Iran.
Penumpang kecewa penerbangan dibatalkan tanpa notis awal
Beberapa penumpang di Lapangan Terbang Sulawesi, Indonesia merungut penrbangan mereka dibatalkan tanpa notis awal susulan gunung berapi Ruang meletus sejak kelmarin sehingga mengeluarkan abu bahaya ke udara sekali gus membahayakan keselamatan.
Amaran tsunami boleh mencapai 25 meter
Badan Geologi, Kementerian Tenaga dan Sumber Daya Mineral Indonesia mengingatkan potensi tinggi gelombang tsunami yang diakibatkan oleh letusan Gunung Ruang di Kabupaten Sitaro, Sulawesi Utara mencapai 25 meter.
Banjir di Selangor menurun kepada 364 orang
Banjir di Melaka dan Negeri Sembilan pulih sepenuhnya setakat 8 malam tadi selepas kesemua mangsa dibenarkan pulang ke kediaman masing-masing.
Menurut laporan terkini info Bencana JKM, setakat 6 pagi Jumaat mangsa banjir di Selangor pula sedikit menurun kepada 364 orang pagi ini berbanding 483 yang dilaporkan pada malam Khamis.
Menurut laporan terkini info Bencana JKM, setakat 6 pagi Jumaat mangsa banjir di Selangor pula sedikit menurun kepada 364 orang pagi ini berbanding 483 yang dilaporkan pada malam Khamis.
Charles bangga keberanian Kate dedah rawatan kanser
Charles sangat bangga dengan Kate dan telah terus berhubung rapat dengan menantu kesayangannya itu selama beberapa minggu kebelakangan ini.
Kate Middleton sahkan hidap kanser
Isteri pewaris takhta Putera William itu menyifatkan penemuan kanser itu sebagai "satu kejutan besar".
Raja Charles III terharu terima ribuan kad, titip ucapan dan doa
Istana Buckingham mengeluarkan gambar baginda yang kelihatan terhibur dan terharu membaca nota yang ditulis pada kad-kad ucapan.
Britain, Finland pula tangguh biaya UNRWA susulan dakwaan Israel
Britain dan Finland telah menyertai negara-negara lain dalam menangguhkan pembiayaan kepada UNRWA.
Britain dakwa serangan ke atas Houthi tiada kaitan konflik di Gaza - PM Rishi Sunak
Serangan itu adalah tindakan mempertahankan diri dan disasarkan dengan berhati-hati, kata Rishi Sunak.
Guna AI tentukan umur penonton kandungan lucah di bawah garis panduan baharu UK
Britain mencadangkan garis panduan baharu semakan umur bagi melindungi kanak-kanak daripada mengakses pornografi dalam talian.
China nafi intip Parlimen Britain, gesa henti sebar maklumat palsu
China menafikan dakwaan Britain mengenai kemungkinan kes pengintipan di Parlimen London, lapor Agensi Berita Jerman ( dpa ).
Kelewatan perjalanan udara UK mungkin berterusan beberapa hari
Gangguan sistem kawalan udara United Kingdom (UK) memaksa ribuan penumpang syarikat penerbangan terkandas pada Isnin, dengan potensi gangguan berlanjutan.
Britain: Rishi Sunak umum hukum penjara seumur hidup bagi pembunuh kejam
Pesalah berbahaya yang melakukan pembunuhan paling kejam akan berdepan dengan hukuman penjara seumur hidup tanpa peluang dibebaskan.
COVID-19: Varian baharu dengan 'jumlah mutasi tinggi' ditemui di Britain
Varian COVID-19 baharu dengan "bilangan mutasi yang tinggi" telah dikesan di Britain.