In an incredible result, the United Kingdom appears to have voted to leave the European Union, with the public broadcaster now calling the result for the Leave campaign.
In a ballot that was expected to be close, but deliver a slight win for Prime Minister David Cameron and those backing the Remain campaign, the British people have backed a departure from the EU, on the back of concerns about immigration, and the power of the European bureaucracy.
The surging results for the Leave campaign have seen the British Pound drop to a 30-year low, but it’s the political career of the nation’s Tory Prime Minister that looks unlikely to ever recover.
According to the BBC, the Leave campaign is now ahead of Remain by almost one million votes, with around 70 per cent counted.
After initially predicting a loss for his side, far-right UKIP leader Nigel Farage addressed the media earlier, claiming the apparent victory had come “without a single bullet being fired”. The remark drew an immediate reaction, with the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox – by stabbing and firearm – hanging over the campaign, a tragic symbol for the bitterness that has infused the referendum debate.
Boris Johnson, the Tory MP and former Mayor of London who spearheaded the ‘Brexit’ campaign, could now be poised to replace Cameron as the party and the nation’s leader, having helped inflict a major defeat on his leader.
The result will also reignite calls for Scottish independence and Irish reunification, with the former heavily backing the Remain campaign.
Standby for new PM within months. Already calls for referendum on Scottish independence & on Irish unity. It’s only just begun #EUref
— Nick Robinson (@bbcnickrobinson) June 24, 2016
While the results of the poll are not legally binding, there appears to be no political room for Cameron and those who supported the Remain campaign to ignore them. Back in Australia, right-wing Senators Cory Bernardi and James Paterson were quick to welcome today’s news.\
Today is #Brexit day. I hope the Brits reclaim their sovereignty and dump the EU – a failed experiment that proves socialism doesn’t work.
— Cory Bernardi (@corybernardi) June 23, 2016
Proud to have spoken for #voteleave in the @AuSenate: https://t.co/V1dEniWj9Z #brexit
— James Paterson (@SenPaterson) June 24, 2016