EU referendum: BBC forecasts UK votes to leave

[seancbk]

Brexit. If ever there was evidence that democracy doesn't work this is it. Or to paraphrase Churchill.. 5 minutes with the average voter will convince you that democracy is a bad idea.

[sandrabbit]

Cherio Brits, without your negative contribution the EU has now a lot more money to spend on countries in real need. No more rebates, farm subsidies etc. for leeches. Hurray.

Britain is a net contributor, France isn't as it gets 50% of the agricultural budget. Watch as the dominoes start to fall with countries like the Netherlands, Denmark etc vote about their links to the EU as especially as some of them will now have to become net contributors. As a trading block it was fine, as a political union it became a money pit. How did the Kinnocks become multi millionaires?.

[cumgranosalum]

Brexit. If ever there was evidence that democracy doesn't work this is it. Or to paraphrase Churchill.. 5 minutes with the average voter will convince you that democracy is a bad idea.

Referendums (referenda) are not a normal part of British democracy - even this one isn't legally binding on the government.

No-one actually asked for a referendum, we were just told to take part.....normally on a constitutional issue in most countries one would expect a 30% majority to have effect rather than a simple first past the post.

One wonders if in the next two years there will be a legal challenge?

[bipper]

Will we still be able to take part in the Eurovision song contest?

I hope not

And the champions league too. Horay horay horay!

[Guest]

UK: Cameron has resigned

Spain suggest of getting Gibraltar back to Spain.

Markets are mess.

I'm not sure if I should call Britain as New Texas or New Mexico after their sunset.

[cumgranosalum]

In less than an hour after the result was announced, Nicola Sturgeon is already muttering about having to have a second referendum, so we can expect that to be on the agenda again shortly!

She is determined to take Scotland out of the Union, and this is the very excuse she has been waiting for !

The Northern Ireland agreement also had an EU component, so the Republicans will be reviewing that too.

[Guderian]

It’s been noted by the more thoughtful media that, unlike the previous referendum on alternative voting, the act enabling this referendum has no legal clause ensuring that the government takes action upon the result. The government could simply ignore the whole thing, but that’s unlikely. It’s more probable that they will put the ‘public recommendation’ from the referendum to Parliament to decide what to do, and with a built-in pro-EU majority the HoC may well decide to over-ride the wishes of the people. A price will be paid for that at the next General Election, no doubt, but many MP’s may think it’s worth it.

Interesting times indeed.

[webfact]

Prime Minister David Camerons says he will resign by the time of party conference in the fall

LONDON (AP) — Prime Minister David Camerons says he will resign by the time of party conference in the fall.

-- (c) Associated Press 2016-06-24

[Emster23]

Ah the siren call to return to a time that never was..... like ISIS and Trump. Return to the simpler times of massive power shortages, industry in shambles, clueless politicians. I just finished Francis Wheen's "Strange Days Indeed: the Golden Age of Paranoia". (which was about the '70's) Highly readable and humorous at times...

Edited June 24, 2016 by Emster23

[MockingJay]

Yeehhaaaa! Nigel Farage rulez!!!!!!

[bipper]

Brexit. If ever there was evidence that democracy doesn't work this is it. Or to paraphrase Churchill.. 5 minutes with the average voter will convince you that democracy is a bad idea.

Referendums (referenda) are not a normal part of British democracy - even this one isn't legally binding on the government.

No-one actually asked for a referendum, we were just told to take part.....normally on a constitutional issue in most countries one would expect a 30% majority to have effect rather than a simple first past the post.

One wonders if in the next two years there will be a legal challenge?

Over the next 2 years and beyond this bravado will have to be paid for.

[seancbk]

Brexit. If ever there was evidence that democracy doesn't work this is it. Or to paraphrase Churchill.. 5 minutes with the average voter will convince you that democracy is a bad idea.

Referendums (referenda) are not a normal part of British democracy - even this one isn't legally binding on the government.

No-one actually asked for a referendum, we were just told to take part.....normally on a constitutional issue in most countries one would expect a 30% majority to have effect rather than a simple first past the post.

One wonders if in the next two years there will be a legal challenge?

Taken from The Guardian (link to follow)

The simple answer to the question as to whether the EU referendum is legally binding is “no”. In theory, in the event of a vote to leave the EU, David Cameron, who opposes Brexit, could decide to ignore the will of the people and put the question to MPs banking on a majority deciding to remain.

This is because parliament is sovereign and referendums are generally not binding in the UK.

The wrangling reflects the fact that there is no binding legal process to force Cameron to invoke article 50. In theory, he could ignore the public and disregard a Brexit vote. In practice he has repeatedly promised that the result will stick – and there may be no going back on that line now.

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jun/23/eu-referendum-legally-binding-brexit-lisbon-cameron-sovereign-parliament

[tomacht8]

The economic self-castration has succeeded.

[bipper]

Britain is a net contributor, France isn't as it gets 50% of the agricultural budget. Watch as the dominoes start to fall with countries like the Netherlands, Denmark etc vote about their links to the EU as especially as some of them will now have to become net contributors. As a trading block it was fine, as a political union it became a money pit. How did the Kinnocks become multi millionaires?.

We shall see how net it is after disentanglement? And if it turns out to be the stupidest, bravado & jingoistic exercise in history.

[webfact]

Prime Minister David Cameron says he will step down by October as UK votes to leave EU /BBC

[sandrabbit]

I think the main reason that Britain voted to leave the EU was Cameron had said he would recommend to leave if he didn't get the reforms he was asking for, well he didn't get them and the reforms he got still had to be voted on by member states and it seemed the EU was leaving everything until after Britain's vote so everybody was afraid of being shafted again.

Personally I'm very pro European but I probably would have voted out due to the lack of democracy in the EU, one of the telling points for me was after the bankers crash and ordinary people were suffering the bureaucrats were still trying to get the EU budgets raised by billions of euros. As for exchange rates, markets etc they will calm down as a lot of this is panic selling and people betting against the markets and as it's not just Britain suffering I can't see it going on in the long term.

[webfact]

LONDON (AP) - British stock market plunges 7.7 percent, German index falls 10 percent after UK vote to leave EU.

[bipper]

There are people who genuinely believe that the EU is at the root of all our ills, and that by leaving it we'll suddenly have all this money! We'll put the Great back into Great Britain! The recession is over! Of course that's what's going to happen especially with intellectual heavyweights like Nigel Farage and Boris Johnson leading the charge, what could possibly go wrong?

And as usual Scotland gets shafted by thickos south of the border. Cheers guys.

the Scots shafted themselves when they voted to remain part of the UK, they have nothing to offer anyway, they are a drain on the UK

Say you after the oil is gone along with the Eastern front. Selfish move, proves what you are but the best of it is that now at long last Scotland and N. Ireland hopefully sees what the rest of the empire saw yonks ago.

[tomacht8]

Prime Minister David Cameron says he will step down by October as UK votes to leave EU /BBC

Understandable. he definitely do not want to be the one in the history who wants to carry out the isolation of the UK of Europe. Or as they say on the island: independence.

[Gweiloman]

It is interesting that it's pro-business that voted Remain while more agricultural and older people went the other way. Reminds me of when Switzerland had a similar referendum (to join or not). Zurich and main business cantons said yes, French speaking, Bern Basel etc said no and the no's won it.

There was then talk of doomsday for Switzerland as well. Didn't happen though. The CHF is practically on par with the Euro (1.08, last I checked, last week)

[Crash999]

Cherio Brits, without your negative contribution the EU has now a lot more money to spend on countries in real need. No more rebates, farm subsidies etc. for leeches. Hurray.

For the record I voted Remain but it's disinformation like this that really hurt the campaign. UK sends out 210m GBP a week net after factoring in the rebate and money coming back in. Those are hard facts. But it's less than 1% of GDP so not too meaningful in the scheme of things.

It's stuff like this that the Leave people blew up and used as an example of disinformation.

[cumgranosalum]

we'll just have to colonise India again...I'm sure they won't mind.....and Burma, Malaysia, most of Africa, bits of South America, they'll be so happy to see us back!?!?!?

[Alwyn]

finally FREEDOM, ,it s historical day for all nations, thank you all Brits, bye bye massive immigration, bye bye Turkey with its 90 million people, bye bye the criminal gangs of eastern Europe, if EU leaders wanted peace in the world they should have supported Assad and Russia and not side with the terrorists.

GREAT BRITAIN will survive and become stronger it sets the example for the rest of us, time for a change.

I'll raise a glass or two tonight.

Time to put the great back into Great Britain.

my gut feeling is, gentlemen, that the exact opposite will occur.

your 'great britain' will split apart. scottland will separate and re - unite with the eu. what will happen to london, the financial hub of europe?

what means do you have to make you great, (again?)?

and apart from that, given the magnitude of this event, the margin of 'win' over 'loose' is way too slim. there will be a lot of disgruntled brits having to live with and suffer from this short sighted decision.

72% of the population turned out to vote and leave won with a 4% victory. That's hardly a slim verdict, rather, quite a resounding victory for the leave campaign.

[JHolmesJr]

The people most oppressed by the terms of the EU (rampant and indiscriminate immigration by all kinds of scum, wage reductions, job losses etc) voted to leave.

The greedy b#@$%^& who profit off cheap labour and exploiting people voted to remain…..simples.

Wildly elated to see the British people do the right thing.

There will be some pain but it will be worth it to see that smarmy little pr#%@ Cameron ride off into the sunset after being kicked in his pants.

Edited June 24, 2016 by JHolmesJr

[sandrabbit]

Prime Minister David Cameron says he will step down by October as UK votes to leave EU /BBC

So he's thrown his dummy out of the pram, there was a signed agreement before the referendum by the mp's that he would stay as prime minister whatever the result although for him and Osbourne there was no way they could stay in their positions whatever the result with the speeches they made. The people of the UK have shown they want democracy and I think it's the end of the first part the post voting system and proportional representation coming in and being more representative of what the people want.

[cumgranosalum]

Jesus - have you seen the Bank of England announcement????????- it's like something after the Wall Street crash - a pep talk I thought I'd never hear.........BTW - UK expats checked your savings and pensions yet - some are down over 30% - the biggest drop in the pound in history.... EVER

[Sooo Upto Me]

finally FREEDOM, ,it s historical day for all nations, thank you all Brits, bye bye massive immigration, bye bye Turkey with its 90 million people, bye bye the criminal gangs of eastern Europe, if EU leaders wanted peace in the world they should have supported Assad and Russia and not side with the terrorists.

GREAT BRITAIN will survive and become stronger it sets the example for the rest of us, time for a change.

I'll raise a glass or two tonight.

Time to put the great back into Great Britain.

my gut feeling is, gentlemen, that the exact opposite will occur.

your 'great britain' will split apart. scottland will separate and re - unite with the eu. what will happen to london, the financial hub of europe?

what means do you have to make you great, (again?)?

and apart from that, given the magnitude of this event, the margin of 'win' over 'loose' is way too slim. there will be a lot of disgruntled brits having to live with and suffer from this short sighted decision.

Who cares about Scotland, Leaving the EU woz the right result. Get rid of all the illegal immigrants who are living off our state. And close the borders to these Muslims an other wanna be terrorists.

[sitti]

Even though I believe this mistake will result further decline of Britain, but thanks to it, that was the most exciting day in forex I have ever experienced. Made a serious profit with GBP/USD in a few hours.

Edited June 24, 2016 by sitti

[bark]

I'll raise a glass or two tonight.

Time to put the great back into Great Britain.

Just wait until Scotland and N Ireland vote to leave. Then it is you and Wales. Not so Great !

[mommysboy]

In less than an hour after the result was announced, Nicola Sturgeon is already muttering about having to have a second referendum, so we can expect that to be on the agenda again shortly!

She is determined to take Scotland out of the Union, and this is the very excuse she has been waiting for !

The Northern Ireland agreement also had an EU component, so the Republicans will be reviewing that too.

In truth Scotland does not sit well with the UK, just as UK did not with EU. Scotland should go. I don't think the rest of UK would be opposed this time. Why pretend any longer?

Ireland enjoys good relations with UK. Why would that not continue?