EU Referendum Result: UK Edging Closer To Brexit

EU Referendum Result: UK Edging Closer To Brexit

The UK looks set to leave the European Union after one of the most dramatic nights in British political history.

The Leave campaign is edging closer to victory after sweeping up millions of votes across the north of England, the Midlands, the South East and Wales.

Despite an on-the-day poll predicting a win for Remain, Leave voters turned out in droves in order to take the UK out of the EU.

The result would mean that not only would the UK quit the European project after 42 years, but the future of David Cameron as Prime Minister is hanging in the balance.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is also under pressure, with many traditional Labour heartlands defying the party’s call to vote Remain and instead backed Brexit.

At a Leave.EU party in London, Farage described June 23 as the UK's "Independence Day".

He said: "This will be a victory for real people, a victory for ordinary people, a victory for decent people.

"We will have done it without having to fight, without a single bullet being fired."

The night began with a YouGov on-the-day poll predicting a narrow win for Remain, prompting Farage to practically concede defeat.

However, as the first results came in, it became clear that Leave was doing better than expected in key areas.

In Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Leave picked up 49.3 per cent of the vote (63,598) – indicating a strong showing for Brexiters in the North-East.

This was confirmed when 61.3 per cent of voters (82,394) in Sunderland voted for Leave.

Key areas of Lincoln, Coventry and Watford all backed Brexit, while Scotland and London came out for Remain.

The two sides were neck and neck until about 3.30am, when Leave pushed ahead.

Large areas such as Sheffield – the home of former Lib Dem Leader Nick Clegg’s constituency – backed Leave (13,018 against 130,735).

Doncaster – where Ed Miliband’s parliamentary seat is located – also backed Brexit, with a huge 69 per cent (104,260) voting for Leave.

Other towns and cities to back Leave include Milton Keynes, Basildon, Barnsley, Bolton, Colchester, and Chelmsford.

Close

What's Hot