Stars including JK Rowling, Geri Halliwell, Laurence Fox, and Richard E Grant are celebrating after Scotland voted to reject independence from the UK.

Scots went to the polls on Thursday for a ballot on whether to break away from the rest of Britain to become a self-governing nation.

More than 55 per cent of voters chose to stay in the union, defeating the independence bid, and celebrities who had previously voiced their support for a ‘No’ vote took to Twitter on Friday to share their delight after the result was announced.

“Been up all night watching Scotland make history. A huge turnout, a peaceful democratic process: we should be proud”, Harry Potter author Rowling wrote.

“Morning Scotland. Love you very much”, Gosford Park star Fox tweeted and singer/songwriter Billy Bragg added, “Referendum result: a new constitutional settlement for U.K. Big thank you to people of Scotland for putting devo (devolution) for England on the agenda.”

Former Spice Girls star Halliwell tweeted, “Thank you Scotland – together we are Great Britain. X”, actor Grant added, “Huge relief that we continue to be the United Kingdom.”

Many of those who supported the ‘Yes’ campaign are trying to take some positives from the result – actor Alan Cumming writes, “Yes still means something. Please try to remember that. My YES friends”, and Simon Pegg adds, “Feel sad for those who campaigned hard for a yes vote. Hopefully some meaningful change will come of this. It was by no means a landslide.”

Other stars tweeting their surprise at how the campaign galvanised Scots into voting include Duran Duran singer Simon Le Bon, Muse frontman Matt Bellamy, and Harry Potter actor Matthew Lewis.