The big guns on both sides of the Scottish independence divide have marked their ballot papers on a historic day for the United Kingdom.

Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond, leader of the ‘Yes’ campaign, voted in his village in Aberdeenshire after a frenzied final two weeks of campaigning.

Former British Prime Minster Gordon Brown turned out, still basking in the reaction to his barnstorming ‘No’ speech on the eve of the poll.

Turnout is high with the vote forcing many to question their their identity.

One woman in Edinburgh was asked why it was such an ‘emotional day’ she replied through the tears: “Because I am British, because I have an English father and Scottish mother, I was born in England, I live here. I am British, I can be nothing else.”

For other regions across Europe seeking independence the Scottish vote is hugely significant and many travelled to Scotland to back the ‘Yes’ campaign.

The reverberations of the referendum will go well beyond Scottish borders.