Scotland's "no" to independence may have saved British Prime Minister David Cameron his job, but sweeping pledges of a constitutional shake-up could undermine his re-election drive and trigger more political instability.
Responding to what he called a "clear" rejection of Scottish independence on Friday, Cameron, who is up for re-election in May 2015, promised to begin a process that would see Scotland granted further powers.
"This is definitely better for Cameron than a vote for independence, but imposing this timetable means there's really no breathing space," said Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary University in London. "The idea they can have some major constitutional settlement sorted out by the election is incredibly ambitious."