London - Official results released early Friday show the "leave" side prevailed 52 per cent to 48 percent in Thursday's vote.
Published: Fri 24 Jun 2016, 9:11 AM
Last updated: Fri 24 Jun 2016, 5:27 PM
UK Prime Minister David Cameron says he will resign
Prime Minister David Cameron announced on Friday he will resign after Britons voted to leave the EU in defiance of his warnings of economic pain.
Cameron promised to try to "steady the ship" over the next months but said a new leader should be installed by early October.
"I do not think it would be right for me to try to be the captain that steers our country to its next destination," the British leader said outside his official Downing Street residence in London.
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British celebs react to Brexit
British celebrities like JK Rowling, James Corden, and Hugh Lawrie among others weighed in their thoughts about the historic Brexit victory.
According to the BBC, Britain voted by 52 per cent to 48 per cent to leave the European Union (EU) after 43 years in a historic referendum on Friday. The referendum turnout was 71.8 per cent -- with more than 30 million people voting. This was the highest turnout at a British poll since 1992.
"Harry Potter" author JK Rowling, a staunch Brexit opponent, was mournful as she weighed in on the vote, offering her affirmation of the popular opinion that Scotland will now move to secede from Britain, reports deadline.com.
"Goodbye, UK. I don't think I've ever wanted magic more. Scotland will seek independence now. Cameron's legacy will be breaking up two unions. Neither needed to happen," Rowling wrote on Twitter in separate posts.
Actor and TV host James Corden was mournful in his reaction to the outcome.
"I can't get my head around what's happening in Britain. I'm so sorry to the youth of Britain. I fear you've been let down today," Corden wrote on Twitter.
"The Sandman" creator Neil Gaiman, a British native who now resides in US, wrote: "Dear UK, good luck. I am afraid you are going to need it."
"House" and "The Night Manager" star Hugh Laurie was more cautious. He wrote: "Congratulations exiters. Reverse is across and down, easy on the clutch".
Britain would be the first country to leave the EU since its formation -- but a leave vote will not immediately mean Britain ceases to be a member of the 28-nation bloc.
That process could take a minimum of two years, with leave campaigners suggesting that the referendum campaign may not be completed until 2020 -- the date of the next scheduled general election.
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Britain votes to leave the EU
Britain has voted to leave the European Union to take greater control of its economy and its borders, shattering the stability of the continental unity forged after World War II.
The decision launches what will be years of negotiations over trade, business and political links with the EU, which will shrink to a 27-nation bloc.
Official results released early Friday show the "leave" side prevailed 52 per cent to 48 percent in Thursday's vote, which had a turnout of 72 per cent.
The 'Leave' campaign has crossed the line to win with 6,835,512 votes to 'Remain''s 15,692,093.
The UK is the first major country to decide to leave the bloc, which evolved from the ashes of the war as the region's leaders sought to build links and avert future hostility.
Financial authorities around the world have warned that a British exit will reverberate through a delicate global economy.
Veteran Labour lawmaker Keith Vaz says "this is a crushing, crushing decision. This is a terrible day for Europe."
Green lawmaker Caroline Lucas said she was devastated by the news, blaming "alienation, anger and frustration" for the results of Thursday's vote.
"Harry Potter" author JK Rowling, a prominent "remain" campaigner, says "I don't think I've ever wanted magic more" in a Twitter message.
Marine Le Pen hails Brexit, calls for French referendum
French far-right leader Marine Le Pen on Friday hailed Britain's decision to leave the European Union and called for a similar referendum in France.
"Victory for Freedom! As I have been asking for years we must now have the same referendum in France and EU countries," the National Front (FN) leader tweeted.
Dutch MP calls for referendum on EU
Dutch MP Geert Wilders on Friday called for the Netherlands to hold a referendum on whether to leave the EU, shortly after Britain voted for a Brexit.
"The Dutch people deserve a referendum as well. The Party for Freedom consequently demands a referendum on NExit, a Dutch EU exit," Wilders said in a statement.
"We want be in charge of our own country, our own money, our own borders, and our own immigration policy," Wilders said in a statement.
"If I become prime minister, there will be a referendum in the Netherlands on leaving the European Union as well. Let the Dutch people decide."
Elections are not due in the Netherlands until next year, but since last year polls have consistently shown support for the Freedom Party (PVV) climbing on the back of the refugee crisis.
Spain proposes 'shared sovereignty' over Gibraltar
Spain's foreign minister proposed sharing sovereignty over Gibraltar after Britain voted to exit the European Union, saying it would allow the overseas territory to maintain access to the EU's single market.
"Our formula... is British-Spanish co-sovereignty for a determined period of time, which after that time has elapsed, will head towards the restitution of Gibraltar to Spanish sovereignty," Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo told Spanish radio.
Poland urges rethink of closer EU integration
Poland's foreign minister said on Friday that Britain's vote to leave the EU meant it was time to rethink the old Franco-German model of closer European political integration.
"We have to reconsider the future of European integration" Witold Waszczykowski told the PAP news agency, questioning whether the push for "one political body with centralised authorities" could work.
"It's a day of reflection, a day of serious discussion about whether the direction of change in the EU that was decided many years ago, the Franco-German model, is what Europe wants," he added.
Britain's decision to leave the EU "means a different Europe. We must negotiate a new Europe," said Waszczykowski, whose right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) party has long railed against closer political integration with Brussels.
He also warned against the "eurozone's domination of the EU".
Japan concerned about Brexit
The Japanese government on Friday expressed concern over Britain's referendum favouring those wishing to leave the European Union with the poll outcome affecting both stocks and forex markets in Tokyo.
Finance Minister and deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso told the media after the British "leave" camp won the poll that Japan is "very concerned over the risks to the global economy, finance and exchange markets".
The government will monitor the situation "more than ever" and steadily take steps when needed so that volatile movements do not continue, Xinhua quoted Aso as saying.
On Friday, Tokyo shares ended sharply lower with its benchmark Nikkei stock index losing nearly eight per cent on Brexit, marking the worst fall in over 16 years.
Officials in the Japanese Foreign Ministry said the referendum result is extremely disappointing and may affect Japan's talks with the EU on their free trade agreement.
The government here will convene a meeting involving relevant ministers on the Brexit referendum.
For now, Brits in Spain will have same rights, Madrid says
Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy on Friday sought to reassure Britons living in Spain after the Brexit vote, saying that for now, they would keep the same rights to live and work there.
Spain is home to the largest concentration of British nationals living outside their country in the European Union, and many of them have watched the Brexit campaign with growing concern.
He said EU treaties governing Britain's ties with the rest of the bloc would remain in force while London negotiates the terms of its exit in a process he said could take "at least two years".
During that time, nothing would change for Britons in Spain, nor for Spaniards in Britain, who would maintain the same rights they have enjoyed until now as EU citizens.
"Their rights to move freely, to work, to pay social security contributions, to receive pensions, to invest, to vote or be elected in local elections will not be affected at all," he said.
"The same applies to the rights of British citizens who live or work in our country or in the rest of the EU."
Officially, just over 283,000 Britons are residing in Spain, but many do not bother to register, with estimates suggesting between 800,000 to a million live in the country.
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