It seemed improbable - but it now appears to be official. The United Kingdom has voted to leave the European Union and become an independent state once again, the BBC is reporting.
BBC forecasts UK votes to #Leave the European Unionhttps://t.co/itsARDBbYF #EURef #Brexit pic.twitter.com/gASaxpdNi3
— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) June 24, 2016
The voter turnout, many noted, was off the charts - an indication of how passionate Brits are on the issue.
Whatever the #Brexit outcome, voter turnout is spectacular.
— Justice Don Willett (@JusticeWillett) June 23, 2016
Dwarfing U.S. turnout in presidential races. pic.twitter.com/c5TfQid9Kd
The early tallies gave the "Remain" camp the lead, but major "Leave" victories in northeast England served as a turning point for the latter campaign.
As for British leaders, they too were split on the Brexit vote. Prime Minister David Cameron urged Brits to vote to remain in the EU, while former London mayor Boris Johnson and UK Independence Party Leader Nigel Farage wanted out.
Former Prime Minister Tony Blair tweeted which side he was on.
I believe voting to Remain will secure Britain’s place as a proud, influential country with a strong economy. TB pic.twitter.com/q6rIJI8JIx
— Tony Blair Office (@tonyblairoffice) June 23, 2016
President Obama also urged the UK to remain in the EU, arguing it was "at its best" when it helps to lead Europe and would likewise be the best outcome for America.
But, the Brits have spoken.
Ahead of the results, Britons indicated that a couple of the most significant reasons for leaving the EU was the alarming influx of refugees - in fact, that was a centerpiece of Farage's Leave campaign - and the euro crisis, while the Remain crowd worried that leaving the EU was surrounded by too many uncertainties.
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