Britain has voted to leave the European Union. In the early hours of Friday morning it became increasingly clear those those wishing to leave (in favour of #Brexit) outnumbered those wanting to remain, albeit by a margin which appears to show a nation (or, more correctly, an assemblage of nations) at odds with itself.
According to The Guardian, the “Leave” campaign received 17 410 742 (or 52%) of the vote, while the “Remain” camp received 16 141 241 (or 48%) of the vote. The winning camp’s victory appears largely to have come on the back of older voters and those with no formal qualifications and low income.
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Unsurprisingly the result has taken Twitter by storm, with many registering shock and dismay at the decision. Here’s how the decision is playing out:
Of the “Leave” campaigns most high-profile leaders, Nigel Farage was the first to tweet, sending out a flurry of tweets in celebration of the victory, most of which included interview footage of himself:
We have done it! #IndependenceDayhttps://t.co/C96aoqlnpM
— Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) June 24, 2016
Today is a victory for decent, ordinary people who have taken on the establishment and won. #IndependenceDayhttps://t.co/j3gTHqZIg7
— Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) June 24, 2016
June 23rd must now be made a national holiday. #IndependenceDay pic.twitter.com/Aj7mEjPTnR
— Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) June 24, 2016
No, thank you @Arron_banks and @LeaveEUOfficial – without you we could not have done this. #Brexit pic.twitter.com/b3LNZcZZ8p
— Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) June 24, 2016
We’ve left behind a failed political union. We can now rejoin the world as an independent, self-governing nation.https://t.co/oqMbzLWhqO
— Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) June 24, 2016
His fellow “Leave” campaigner Boris Johnson hasn’t tweeted since Thursday, with the same being true of the “Remain” campaign’s leading lights Prime Minister David Cameron and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
Cameron’s silence probably shouldn’t be all that surprising given that he announced his resignation on Friday morning.
#Brexit Economy
As it became increasingly clear that Britons had voted to leave the EU, its economy began to take a pounding. The Pound fell to a three decade low, leading many to wonder just how far the results of the referendum would see it fall:
When your idiot xenophobia is so powerful you gut your own economy based on words that make you feel nice #Brexit
— Molly Crabapple (@mollycrabapple) June 24, 2016
So sorry for the 48% of smart UK citizens who understand that the economy is global and that isolation is a bygone era #Brexit
— Chase Jarvis (@chasejarvis) June 24, 2016
Brits: we’d rather be poor and alone than tolerate immigrants who can contribute to our economy. Basically #brexit
— ryno geldenhuys (@rynogeldenhuys) June 24, 2016
so here’s what #brexit means for tech:
a meltdown of the global economy is not good for tech
— Christopher Mims (@mims) June 24, 2016
It’s amazing how people are somehow proud of wrecking the economy. Plummeting pound is nothing to be proud of. #Brexit
— Jack Reason (@J__Reason) June 24, 2016
For perspective, the EU seems to have just lost over one-sixth of its economy. #Brexit pic.twitter.com/KLI8vjraQF
— Trevor Tombe (@trevortombe) June 24, 2016
“…and we turn to a live view of the British economy” #Brexit pic.twitter.com/a9b32Jo2xy
— Niv Dror
(@Nivo0o0) June 24, 2016
So, if we’ve learned anything about #Brexit it’s that we *all* live in a global economy and what one country does impacts *all* others.
— Chris Pirillo (@ChrisPirillo) June 24, 2016
Well, it’s official. British far rightists successfully duped half the population into destroying their own economy for no reason. #Brexit
— Matthew Chapman (@fawfulfan) June 24, 2016
The first U Turn
While they may have been on the losing side, critics of the “Leave” campaign were given fresh fodder when Farrage conceded that Britain would not be able to redirect the £350-million it sends to Europe weekly back into the NHS:
The first #UKIP government policy decision is apparently a U-turn. #Brexit https://t.co/Gyh28opBR2
— Winnie King (@DrWinnieKing) June 24, 2016
Already the rollback on the lies start. Well done Vote Leavers. #brexit https://t.co/aMKmX9MFEe
— Joe Morris (@DP_Joe) June 24, 2016
It’s actually worrying how many people believed nigel farage when he said £350 million would go to the NHS #Brexit
— lara (@laraxh_) June 24, 2016
https://t.co/t4RPbmrMc7
Can British people who voted #Brexit return the product as it was adquired based on missleading advertising?— Alejandro_Mezcua (@A_Mezcua) June 24, 2016
Oh look. #Brexit sold on “mistake” that leaves nation in the worst hole in over 30 years. Our “Ned Stark” moment. https://t.co/5cGwuKk6Sc
— Shaun McIlroy (@shaunmcilroy) June 24, 2016
Goodbye GB and UK?
One of the most profound implications of the vote comes from the fact that the residents of Scotland and Northern Ireland overwhelmingly voted to remain. Many feel that the result opens up the opportunity for Scotland (which narrowly voted to remain in the United Kingdom in 2015) to have another referendum for independence in the near future. Nationalist parties in Northern Ireland meanwhile are calling for a referendum to determine whether it should integrate with the Republic of Ireland. Were such a scenario to unfold, it would mean the defacto end of the United Kingdom and Great Britain as political entities.
So the UK is out, Cameron resigned, Scotland wants to leave Great Britain, Sinn Fein plans to unify Ireland and it’s only 9:30 am #Brexit
— Christiaan Hetzner (@christiaanhtznr) June 24, 2016
I think Scotland is going to leave the UK and will rejoin EU, profiting massively from academia moving north. Brain is the new oil #brexit
— Tim Pritlove (@timpritlove) June 24, 2016
Unbelievably eerie atmosphere here in Scotland. Every person I met cursing they didn’t vote for independence #brexit
— Niall Breslin (@nbrez) June 24, 2016
Hope Scotland chooses to leave the UK now and rejoin the EU. #Brexit
— Jeanine Cameron (@J9Thinks) June 24, 2016
Scotland calling for new independence vote, N. Ireland for unification. Cameron may have broken EU & UK in one blow #Brexit
— Jim Sciutto (@jimsciutto) June 24, 2016
Ireland wants unity. Scotland wants out. Wales wants something but I can’t understand a word those people say. #Brexit
— neontaster (@neontaster) June 24, 2016
#BREAKING: SCOTLAND’S FIRST MINISTER STURGEON SAYS VOTE “MAKES CLEAR THAT THE PEOPLE OF SCOTLAND SEE THEIR FUTURE AS PART OF THE EU” #brexit
— Jane Wardell (@TheJaneWardell) June 24, 2016
Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness says the case has been strengthened for a border poll #Brexit #EUref #Britain
— Morning Ireland (@morningireland) June 24, 2016
Well done brexiters, Northern Ireland wants to re-unify Ireland and Scotland likely to call for another referendum.
#EURef #Brexit — Steven McCallum (@Steven_McCallum) June 24, 2016
Scotland voted 62% for Remain. Northern Ireland voted 56% for Remain.
“United” Kingdom, my arse. #Brexit pic.twitter.com/yPkaAyWHeo— Adam Feldman (@FeldmanAdam) June 24, 2016