Britain votes to leave EU in historic divorce; Nigel Farage calls for 'Brexit government' in UK

LIVE BLOG

• 24 Jun 2016, 07:25 PM

  Obama says he respects Britain's decision to leave EU

  US President Barack Obama said on Friday he respected Britain's vote to leave the European Union, and that the United States' relationship with Britain would endure.
  
  "The people of the United Kingdom have spoken, and we respect their decision," Obama said in a statement. "The United Kingdom and the European Union will remain indispensable partners of the United States even as they begin negotiating their ongoing relationship."
   

  
• 24 Jun 2016, 07:24 PM

   

  #Brexit : IMF urges 'smooth transition' to a new economic relationship (Source: AFP)

  — ANI (@ANI_news) June 24, 2016

   

   

   

  
• 24 Jun 2016, 07:23 PM

   

  You are taking your country back. People who you dont want, you won't let them into the country: Donald Trump #BRexit

  — ANI (@ANI_news) June 24, 2016

   

   

  What happened should have happened, and I think they'll end up being stronger for it: Donald Trump #BRexit

  — ANI (@ANI_news) June 24, 2016

   

   

   

  
• 24 Jun 2016, 07:22 PM

   

  I think his (Barack Obama) recommendation cause it to fail: Donald Trump in a speech in Scotland on #Brexit

  — ANI (@ANI_news) June 24, 2016

   

   

  
• 24 Jun 2016, 07:12 PM

   

  Will meet EU's Tusk, France's Hollande, Italy's Renzi in Berlin on Monday: German Chancellor Angela Merkel

  — ANI (@ANI_news) June 24, 2016

   

   

   

  
• 24 Jun 2016, 07:20 PM

   

  We must analyse #Brexit situation calmly, not rush into any decisions: German Chancellor Angela Merkel

  — ANI (@ANI_news) June 24, 2016

   

   

   

  
• 24 Jun 2016, 04:51 PM

   

  Britain will continue to be a great European power: Pro #Brexit campaigner Boris Johnson #EURefResults pic.twitter.com/ytUEJTJdUZ

  — ANI (@ANI_news) June 24, 2016

   

  
• 24 Jun 2016, 04:48 PM

   

  This doesn’t mean that UK will be in any way less united nor does it mean that it will be any less European: Boris Johnson #Brexit

  — ANI (@ANI_news) June 24, 2016

   

   

  We cannot turn our backs on Europe, we are a part of Europe: Pro #Brexit campaigner Boris Johnson #EURefResults

  — ANI (@ANI_news) June 24, 2016

   

   

  
• 24 Jun 2016, 04:46 PM

  Former London Mayor Boris Johnson says, EU has become too remote, too opaque and not accountable enough to the people it is meant to serve. 

  
• 24 Jun 2016, 04:45 PM

   

  There's no way of dealing with a decision on this scale except by putting it to people: Pro #Brexit campaigner Boris Johnson #EURefResults

  — ANI (@ANI_news) June 24, 2016

   

   

  I believe, we now have a glorious opportunity, we can pass our laws & set our taxes according to needs of UK economy: Boris Johnson #Brexit

  — ANI (@ANI_news) June 24, 2016

   

  
• 24 Jun 2016, 04:34 PM

   

  I believe David Cameron is one of most extra-ordinary politicians of our age: Pro #Brexit campaigner Boris Johnson pic.twitter.com/huOgwIGpOI

  — ANI (@ANI_news) June 24, 2016

  
• 24 Jun 2016, 01:17 PM

  UK PM Cameron says will step down by October after Brexit vote

  David Cameron said he would resign as Prime Minister by October after Britons ignored his pleas to stay in the European Union and voted in a referendum to leave.

  "I do not think it would be right for me to try to be the captain that steers our country to its next destination," Cameron told reporters on Friday outside his Downing Street office.

  "This is not a decision I've taken lightly but I do believe it is in the national interest to have a period of stability and then the new leadership required," he said.

  

  (Britains Prime Minister David Cameron speaks after Britain voted to leave the European Union, as his wife Samantha watches outside Number 10 Downing Street in London, - Reuters)

  
• 24 Jun 2016, 11:55 AM

  David Cameron to stay on as PM

  Britain's Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said Conservative party leader David Cameron would continue as Prime Minister despite losing his campaign to keep Britain in the European Union.

  "The Prime Minister's ... been clear that whatever the outcome of this referendum he will continue as Prime Minister," Hammond told Sky News on Friday.

  
• 24 Jun 2016, 11:05 AM

  Anti-EU campaigner Nigel Farage says EU is dying; calls for 'Brexit government' in UK after vote

  
• 24 Jun 2016, 10:02 AM

  Final result: UK votes to leave EU by 51.9%

  
• 24 Jun 2016, 11:05 AM

  Cameron should stay to implement Brexit decision - Vote Leave chief

  There is little appetite among the majority of Conservative lawmakers to depose Prime Minister David Cameron who should now prepare to negotiate Britain's exit from the European Union, Vote Leave chief Matthew Elliott told Reuters.

  "I can detect little appetite among Conservative MPs for the prime minister to go: the vast majority want him to be the one who stays in place and implements this decision," Elliott, who is not a lawmaker, said of Britain's vote to leave the EU.

  "There is no need to implement Article 50 straight away - in fact it would be foolish to do so. The best thing is to take stock of this, for the PM to talk with cabinet colleagues, with parliament and other member states."

  No member state has ever left and Article 50 of the EU treaty, which sets out how a state can exit the bloc, offers little detail.

  (Reuters)

  
• 24 Jun 2016, 10:01 AM

  India focusing on market dislocations from Brexit, Jayant Sinha says

  India is focusing on the market dislocations arising from a likely British referendum vote to leave the European Union, junior finance minister Jayant Sinha said on Friday, saying it was too early to assess the trade impact.

  "There's going to be market dislocation and we are going to have to focus on that," Sinha told news channel ET Now in the first official comment on the UK plebiscite.

  #Government, RBI ready with measures to curb volatility: Finance Secretary Ashok Lavasa on Brexit.

  #Don't think Brexit will impact India in medium or long term: Banking Secretary Anjuly Duggal.

  
• 24 Jun 2016, 09:45 AM

  Govt, RBI ready with measures to curb volatility: Finance Secretary Ashok Lavasa on Brexit.

  
• 24 Jun 2016, 09:39 AM

  Britain votes for Brexit, declares BBC

  The camp in favour of Britain's exit from the European Union (EU) was leading by four percentage points over the Remain camp with over 70 per cent of results declared in the referendum today as a BBC forecast said the results were for 'Brexit'.

  The "too-close-to-call and knife-edge" prediction of the opinion polls seemed to hold true as Leave grabbed 52 per cent of the vote to Remain's 48 per cent with over 70 per cent of the results in.

  The BBC said that the trends indicated that the Remain side could not regain from this position and the 52-48 per cent count in favour of Brexit is likely to be the final verdict of the British voters.

  
• 24 Jun 2016, 08:57 AM

  John Rentoul, Chief Political Commentator, The Independent.

  Leave more than 600k votes ahead now, 11m to 10.4m.

  — John Rentoul (@JohnRentoul) June 24, 2016

  I'm in shock. David Cameron's gamble has failed. His career is over. Will the Commons sit on Saturday? Is Boris Johnson really up to it?

  — John Rentoul (@JohnRentoul) June 24, 2016

  
• 24 Jun 2016, 08:52 AM

  Brexit Vote

  London's Tower Hamlets votes 67.5% to remain, says Press Association.

  # Sky news election analyst predicts leave will win referendum with 53%.

  # JP Morgan says appears likely that the vote will be for leave in EU referendum.

  
• 24 Jun 2016, 08:52 AM

  Bristol votes less strongly than expected for remain

  The city of Bristol in western England voted less strongly than expected to remain in the European Union at Thursday's membership referendum.

  #bristol votes remain by 141027 leave 87418 pic.twitter.com/0hhYpU6G5f

  — Randeep Ramesh (@tianran) June 24, 2016

  
• 24 Jun 2016, 08:47 AM

  Farage says

  # June 23 will go down in our history as our independence day.

  # We will have won for the whole of Europe, hopes victory brings down this failed project.

  # We will have won without a single bullet being fired.

  # We have fought against multinationals and big banks - i think now we're to win.

  

  
• 24 Jun 2016, 08:43 AM

  Manchester votes less strongly than expected for remain: PA

  The city of Manchester in northern England voted less strongly than expected to remain in the European Union.

  The Press Association reported 60% of voters in Manchester, one of the largest voting areas by population and predicted to be one of the top 15 safest for remain, backed staying in the EU.

  Analysis by JP Morgan ahead of the vote had predicted support of 70% for remain in Manchester.

  
• 24 Jun 2016, 08:36 AM

  Pollster John Curtice says balance of advantage in the results so far does appear to be with the leave side.

  
• 24 Jun 2016, 08:35 AM

  Sterling dollar over the last 30 years .... pic.twitter.com/fFd7kUgzJG

  — Jill Treanor (@jilltreanor) June 24, 2016

  
• 24 Jun 2016, 08:35 AM

  #Brexit vote - Remain on 8.392 million votes, leave on 8.811 million after more than 17 million votes counted – ITV #EURefResults

  — Reuters India (@ReutersIndia) June 24, 2016

  
• 24 Jun 2016, 08:34 AM

  CAMBRIDGE:

  Remain wins 74% votes

  
• 24 Jun 2016, 08:19 AM

   

  Bristol, Cardiff & Manchester vote in favor of remain.

  Bristol, #EUref result:
  Remain: 61.7% (141,027)
  Leave: 38.3% (87,418)

  — Britain Elects (@britainelects) June 24, 2016

  Cardiff, #EUref result:
  Remain: 60.0% (101,788)
  Leave: 40.0% (67,816)

  — Britain Elects (@britainelects) June 24, 2016

  Manchester, #EUref result:
  Remain: 60.4% (121,823)
  Leave: 39.6% (79,991)

  — Britain Elects (@britainelects) June 24, 2016

  
• 24 Jun 2016, 08:18 AM

  Glasgow votes Remain by two to one; Aberdeen City and the Scottish Borders both vote to Remain

  
• 24 Jun 2016, 08:16 AM

  #Brexit vote - Remain on 48.7 pct, leave on 51.3 pct after 171 of 382 counting areas plus BBC Northern Irish figures - Reuters calculation

  — Reuters India (@ReutersIndia) June 24, 2016

  
• 24 Jun 2016, 08:13 AM

  EURO/DOLLAR

  falls more than 2.5%, hits lowest level in more than 3 months

  
• 24 Jun 2016, 08:04 AM

  EDINBURGH: Remains wins 187,796 votes, leave wins 64,498 votes

  
• 24 Jun 2016, 08:01 AM

  Sheffield votes to Leave EU. Amazing stuff. Delighted.

  — Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) June 24, 2016

  
• 24 Jun 2016, 08:01 AM

  Sterling reversed sharp early gains while the safe-haven yen staged a rebound as confidence that Britain will remain in the European Union was badly shaken after early vote counts put the 'Leave' campaign in the lead.

  
• 24 Jun 2016, 07:46 AM

  Neath Port Talbot votes to leave

  Neath Port Talbot in south Wales, which had been predicted to be one of the 15 closest results in Britain's European Union membership referendum, voted strongly to leave the bloc.

  The Press Association reported 57% of voters in Neath Port Talbot backed leaving the EU. That compared to a prediction of 50.5% for remain and 49.5% for leave in analysis published by J.P. Morgan ahead of the vote.

  
• 24 Jun 2016, 07:26 AM

  UK may have voted Remain but EU is still doomed - UKIP's Farage

  Britain may have voted to remain in the European Union at a membership referendum on Thursday but the bloc is doomed regardless, the head of the anti-EU UK Independence Party said on Thursday.

  Nigel Farage said he thought Britain had voted to remain in the EU, possibly because of an extension of a deadline for people to register to vote.

  "The eurosceptic genie is out of the bottle, and it will now not be put back," he told supporters, in comments carried on local television.

  "If we do stay part of this union it is doomed, it is finished anyway. If we fail tonight it will not be us that knocks out the first brick from the wall, it will be someone else."

  "I hope and pray that my sense of this tonight is wrong," Farage said. 

  
• 24 Jun 2016, 07:45 AM

  Belfast South results: 30,960 votes for Remain, 13,596 votes for Leave, 27 votes rejected. #EURefResults

  — Electoral Office NI (@eoni_official) June 24, 2016

  Belfast South results: 30,960 votes for Remain, 13,596 votes for Leave, 27 votes rejected. #EURefResults

  — Electoral Office NI (@eoni_official) June 24, 2016

  
• 24 Jun 2016, 07:44 AM

  Nuneaton in central England,

  considered a bellwether seat in parliamentary elections, strongly voted to leave the European Union at Thursday's membership referendum.

  Two-thirds of voters in the counting area of Nuneaton and Bedworth backed leaving the bloc, according to official figures.

  
• 24 Jun 2016, 07:25 AM

  Sterling high: $1.50
  Sterling low: $1.40
  Sterling now: $1.45
  
  Extraordinary.

  — Jamie McGeever (@ReutersJamie) June 24, 2016

  
• 24 Jun 2016, 07:23 AM

  LIVERPOOL:

  Remains wins 118,453 votes, leave wins 85,101 votes

  The city of Liverpoool in northwest England voted less strongly than expected to remain in the European Union at Thursday's membership referendum. Official figures showed 58% of voters in Liverpool, one of the largest 15 voting areas by population, backed Remain. That was below a prediction of 65.6 percent in analysis published by J.P. Morgan.

  ISLINGTON: Remains wins 76,420 votes, leave wins 25,180 votes

  
• 24 Jun 2016, 07:21 AM

  Wandsworth voted 75 per cent to remain. #EURefResults

  — Wandsworth Council (@wandbc) June 24, 2016

  Wandsworth result now in; 118,463 remain, 39,421 leave #EURefResults pic.twitter.com/AuYJ2FLTiG

  — Wandsworth Council (@wandbc) June 24, 2016

  
• 24 Jun 2016, 07:19 AM

  Reuters Calculation:

  Remain ON 51.3%, Leave on 48.7% after 75 OF 382 Counting areas.

  
• 24 Jun 2016, 07:18 AM

  Wigan:

   Remains wins 58,942 votes, leave wins 104,331 votes