Former London mayor Boris Johnson, who shocked Britain last week when he decided not to stand to replace Prime Minister David Cameron, criticised the government on Monday for not having a positive plan to make a British exit from the EU work. 
 
Johnson, who led the campaign to take Britain out of the European Union, said &quot;hysteria&quot; had gripped those who had supported staying in the bloc, and the government needed to explain the truth about the impact of Brexit. 
 
&quot;There is, among a section of the population, a kind of hysteria, a contagious mourning of the kind that I remember in 1997 after the death of (Diana) the Princess of Wales,&quot; Johnson wrote in the Daily Telegraph newspaper. 
 
&quot;It was wrong of the government to offer the public a binary choice on the EU without being willing, in the event that people voted Leave, to explain how this can be made to work in the interests of the UK and Europe. We cannot wait until mid-September, and a new PM.&quot; 
 
The flamboyant and popular Johnson, one of the most prominent Brexit campaigners, had been expected to join the contest to be the new Conservative leader after Cameron announced he would quit following the referendum vote to leave the EU. 
 
However, he pulled out when his ally, justice secretary Michael Gove, decided to run for the job himself, calling Johnson&#39;s abilities into question, which Johnson&#39;s supporters described as an act of Machiavellian treachery. 
 
A new leader is expected to be in place by early September. 
 
Johnson said fears about the impact of leaving the EU had been wildly overdone, saying the stock market had not collapsed and the emergency budget with spending cuts and tax rises had not materialised as finance minister and Remain supporter George Osborne had warned. 
 
Conservative lawmaker Ben Wallace, who was running Johnson&#39;s campaign, said he thought Gove himself was unfit to be the leader himself, calling him a gossip. 
 
&quot;Michael seems to have an emotional need to gossip, particularly when drink is taken, as it all too often seemed to be,&quot; Wallace wrote in the Telegraph. 
 
(Reuters)

'There is, among a section of the population, a contagious mourning of the kind that I remember in 1997 after the death of Princess Diana'

Former London mayor Boris Johnson, who shocked Britain last week when he decided not to stand to replace Prime Minister David Cameron, criticised the government on Monday for not having a positive plan to make a British exit from the EU work. Johnson, who led the campaign to take Britain out of the European Union, said "hysteria" had gripped those who had supported staying in the bloc, and the government needed to explain the truth about the impact of Brexit. "There is, among a section of the population, a kind of hysteria, a contagious mourning of the kind that I remember in 1997 after the death of (Diana) the Princess of Wales," Johnson wrote in the Daily Telegraph newspaper. "It was wrong of the government to offer the public a binary choice on the EU without being willing, in the event that people voted Leave, to explain how this can be made to work in the interests of the UK and Europe. We cannot wait until mid-September, and a new PM." The flamboyant and popular Johnson, one of the most prominent Brexit campaigners, had been expected to join the contest to be the new Conservative leader after Cameron announced he would quit following the referendum vote to leave the EU. However, he pulled out when his ally, justice secretary Michael Gove, decided to run for the job himself, calling Johnson's abilities into question, which Johnson's supporters described as an act of Machiavellian treachery. A new leader is expected to be in place by early September. Johnson said fears about the impact of leaving the EU had been wildly overdone, saying the stock market had not collapsed and the emergency budget with spending cuts and tax rises had not materialised as finance minister and Remain supporter George Osborne had warned. Conservative lawmaker Ben Wallace, who was running Johnson's campaign, said he thought Gove himself was unfit to be the leader himself, calling him a gossip. "Michael seems to have an emotional need to gossip, particularly when drink is taken, as it all too often seemed to be," Wallace wrote in the Telegraph. (Reuters)

Ex-London mayor Boris Johnson says UK government needs to spell out Brexit benefits

Financial movers and shakers gathered in France on Saturday urged a clear and timely political response to lift the uncertainty caused by Britain&#39;s shock vote to leave the European Union. 
 
A raft of top business leaders and intellectuals have gathered in the southern French city of Aix-en-Provence for a three-day meeting to discuss how to react to the fallout from last week&#39;s &quot;Brexit&quot; vote. 
 
Participants swiftly agreed on at least one thing - nobody is quite sure what is going to happen next, the underlying source of their worries. 
 
Britain has not yet begun the process of disengaging itself from the European Union, with arguments raging after the country was split 52 per cent to 48 per cent in the referendum. 
 
Renault-Nissan automaker giant head Carlos Ghosn said the loss of Britain in itself from the EU bloc was not so much the problem as that the uncertainties such a move would provoke. 
 
&quot;Worried? Yes,&quot; said Ghosn. &quot;Not because of Brexit but worried by the uncertainty that has engendered.&quot; 
 
For Ghosn, &quot;companies, good or bad, are capable of adapting to everything. All kinds of situations&quot;. 
 
But with Britain&#39;s new status regarding the European Union not clear he said firms would have to live with uncertainty. &quot;We are going to navigate as we go along,&quot; said Ghosn, not least regarding the post-Brexit future of Nissan&#39;s factory employing 8,000 in the north east of England. 
 
&#39;Could cause damage&#39; 
 
Oil giant Total&#39;s CEO Patrick Pouyanne said for his part that Brexit would &quot;not have a direct impact&quot; as likely sterling weakness could bring down production costs for the group&#39;s North Sea operations. 
 
&quot;On the other hand, Brexit will have European growth impacts on the macro-economic front and that could cause damage,&quot; Pouyanne said. 
 
&quot;There is an element of more uncertainty, instability, in a world which is already facing up to a range of geopolitical difficulties, with Daesh (Islamic State), Ukraine, a swathe of financial crises and now Brexit.&quot; 
 
US ratings agency SP Global Ratings cut its rating for the EU by one notch last Thursday citing the uncertainty created by the Brexit vote. 
 
&quot;The only message I would like to transmit is we have to act fast,&quot; said Pouyanne or risk allowing uncertainty to &quot;destroy confidence&quot; in the whole bloc. 
 
Time to make decisions 
 
Politicians indicated they understand that message and its urgency. 
 
&quot;The first thing to do is lift the uncertainty as soon as possible so that economic actors are able to take decisions quickly, including decisions pertaining to investment and development,&quot; French minister of finance Michel Sapin said on Friday. 
 
&quot;Today,&quot; Sapin added, &quot;I feel economic actors are demanding political decisions - perhaps a revamping of politics?&quot; 
 
Paris is looking to use Brexit as a chance to bolster the attractiveness of France, and Prime Minister Manuel Valls gave an interview to Saturday&#39;s Le Parisien in which he set out France&#39;s stall to that end. 
 
&quot;We are working on means of reinforcing our attractiveness. I am thinking notably of tax policy or the status of expatriates. So I say to large international companies - Welcome to Paris! Come and invest in France,&quot; said Valls. 
 
&quot;We are the number one financial market place in the eurozone in terms of direct and indirect employment with 1.2 million jobs,&quot; Muriel Penicaud, director general of Business France, a public body tasked with showing off France&#39;s plus points to the business world, told AFP. 
 
The group has just published a paper highlighting reasons to do business in Paris, insisting the capital offers &quot;a robust stock market regulatory and financial system&quot;. 
 
(AFP)

Elites gathered for three days to panic about Brexit uncertainty in the markets

Financial movers and shakers gathered in France on Saturday urged a clear and timely political response to lift the uncertainty caused by Britain's shock vote to leave the European Union. A raft of top business leaders and intellectuals have gathered in the southern French city of Aix-en-Provence for a three-day meeting to discuss how to react to the fallout from last week's "Brexit" vote. Participants swiftly agreed on at least one thing - nobody is quite sure what is going to happen next, the underlying source of their worries. Britain has not yet begun the process of disengaging itself from the European Union, with arguments raging after the country was split 52 per cent to 48 per cent in the referendum. Renault-Nissan automaker giant head Carlos Ghosn said the loss of Britain in itself from the EU bloc was not so much the problem as that the uncertainties such a move would provoke. "Worried? Yes," said Ghosn. "Not because of Brexit but worried by the uncertainty that has engendered." For Ghosn, "companies, good or bad, are capable of adapting to everything. All kinds of situations". But with Britain's new status regarding the European Union not clear he said firms would have to live with uncertainty. "We are going to navigate as we go along," said Ghosn, not least regarding the post-Brexit future of Nissan's factory employing 8,000 in the north east of England. 'Could cause damage' Oil giant Total's CEO Patrick Pouyanne said for his part that Brexit would "not have a direct impact" as likely sterling weakness could bring down production costs for the group's North Sea operations. "On the other hand, Brexit will have European growth impacts on the macro-economic front and that could cause damage," Pouyanne said. "There is an element of more uncertainty, instability, in a world which is already facing up to a range of geopolitical difficulties, with Daesh (Islamic State), Ukraine, a swathe of financial crises and now Brexit." US ratings agency SP Global Ratings cut its rating for the EU by one notch last Thursday citing the uncertainty created by the Brexit vote. "The only message I would like to transmit is we have to act fast," said Pouyanne or risk allowing uncertainty to "destroy confidence" in the whole bloc. Time to make decisions Politicians indicated they understand that message and its urgency. "The first thing to do is lift the uncertainty as soon as possible so that economic actors are able to take decisions quickly, including decisions pertaining to investment and development," French minister of finance Michel Sapin said on Friday. "Today," Sapin added, "I feel economic actors are demanding political decisions - perhaps a revamping of politics?" Paris is looking to use Brexit as a chance to bolster the attractiveness of France, and Prime Minister Manuel Valls gave an interview to Saturday's Le Parisien in which he set out France's stall to that end. "We are working on means of reinforcing our attractiveness. I am thinking notably of tax policy or the status of expatriates. So I say to large international companies - Welcome to Paris! Come and invest in France," said Valls. "We are the number one financial market place in the eurozone in terms of direct and indirect employment with 1.2 million jobs," Muriel Penicaud, director general of Business France, a public body tasked with showing off France's plus points to the business world, told AFP. The group has just published a paper highlighting reasons to do business in Paris, insisting the capital offers "a robust stock market regulatory and financial system". (AFP)

Business leaders urge swift response to Brexit worries

Thousands of demonstrators gathered in central London on Saturday to march in protest against last week&#39;s vote to leave the European Union (EU), a result that has plunged Britain into political chaos and which most people in the capital rejected. 
 
Most protesters were young adults, and many were draped in EU flags while others waved banners proclaiming slogans like &quot;I`m with EU&quot; or simply &quot;Wrexit&quot;. 
 
&#39;I feel uncertain about my future&#39;&nbsp; 
The protesters chanted &quot;what do we want to do? Stay in the EU,&quot; as they set off for the Westminster political district. 
 
&quot;I was genuinely stunned on the morning after the vote,&quot; said one marcher, Nathaniel Samson, 25, from Hertfordshire north of London. 
 
&quot;I feel deeply uncertain about my future,&quot; he added, &quot;I&#39;m on the march to voice my discontentment. I am accepting the result, but it`s to show that we won`t accept it quietly.&quot; 
 
&#39;Let&#39;s take our fingers off the self-destruct button&#39;&nbsp; 
London voted 60 per cent in favour of remaining in the EU in last Thursday&#39;s referendum, with younger voters widely in favour of staying in the bloc, but 52 per cent of Britons overall cast ballots in favour of leaving. 
 
Rally organiser, King&#39;s College graduate Kieran MacDermott, said, &quot;We can prevent Brexit by refusing to accept the referendum as the final say and take our finger off the self-destruct button&quot;. 
 
Parliament should have the final say on whether Britain should leave, he told the BBC. 
 
The vote to leave has prompted a battle within the ruling Conservative party to succeed Prime Minister David Cameron who said he would resign after the result.&nbsp; 
 
The main opposition Labour Party has also turned on itself, with most of its lawmakers in parliament having voted to withdraw support for party leader Jeremy Corbyn after what they saw as his lacklustre contribution to the referendum campaign.&nbsp; 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp;

'What do we want to do? Stay in the EU,' they shouted

Thousands of demonstrators gathered in central London on Saturday to march in protest against last week's vote to leave the European Union (EU), a result that has plunged Britain into political chaos and which most people in the capital rejected. Most protesters were young adults, and many were draped in EU flags while others waved banners proclaiming slogans like "I`m with EU" or simply "Wrexit". 'I feel uncertain about my future' The protesters chanted "what do we want to do? Stay in the EU," as they set off for the Westminster political district. "I was genuinely stunned on the morning after the vote," said one marcher, Nathaniel Samson, 25, from Hertfordshire north of London. "I feel deeply uncertain about my future," he added, "I'm on the march to voice my discontentment. I am accepting the result, but it`s to show that we won`t accept it quietly." 'Let's take our fingers off the self-destruct button' London voted 60 per cent in favour of remaining in the EU in last Thursday's referendum, with younger voters widely in favour of staying in the bloc, but 52 per cent of Britons overall cast ballots in favour of leaving. Rally organiser, King's College graduate Kieran MacDermott, said, "We can prevent Brexit by refusing to accept the referendum as the final say and take our finger off the self-destruct button". Parliament should have the final say on whether Britain should leave, he told the BBC. The vote to leave has prompted a battle within the ruling Conservative party to succeed Prime Minister David Cameron who said he would resign after the result. The main opposition Labour Party has also turned on itself, with most of its lawmakers in parliament having voted to withdraw support for party leader Jeremy Corbyn after what they saw as his lacklustre contribution to the referendum campaign. (Reuters)

Thousands of Londoners gather, protest agains Brexit

The number of hate crimes reported to British police online, including some assaults, has increased by more than 500 per cent in the week after the country voted to leave the European Union (EU), a senior police chief said on Thursday. 
 
The number of hate crimes reported to police through its online portal - one of several ways incidents can be reported - was 331 since the vote, compared with a weekly average of 63, said Sara Thornton, chair of the National Police Chiefs&#39; Council. 
 
The increase supports anecdotal evidence of abuse towards Muslims and Eastern Europeans following the referendum, in which concern about immigration drove many people to vote to leave the 28-country EU. 
 
&quot;I have been shocked and disgusted at some of the cases of racial or anti-immigrant abuse that have been reported this week,&quot; Thornton said in a statement posted online. 
 
&quot;Migrants are reporting verbal abuse, negative social media commentary including xenophobic language, anti-migrant leafleting and, in very limited numbers, physical assaults,&rdquo; the statement added.&nbsp; 
 
Critics accuse some in the &quot;Leave&quot; campaign of stoking xenophobia and racism, as part of a message that leaving the EU would allow Britain to stop uncontrolled immigration, which many Britons blame for putting pressure on jobs and public services. 
 
Thornton said all British police forces would now be asked to provide weekly data on such crimes to build a clear picture of the scale of the problem. 
 
On Wednesday, Prime Minister David Cameron promised to clamp down on hate crime after a number of lawmakers expressed concern about reported incidents in their regions. The issue was also raised at a meeting of EU leaders in Brussels. 
 
The government has promised extra funding to tackle hate crime, to improve reporting of offences and to provide security at potentially vulnerable institutions. 
 
A week before the vote, opposition Labour lawmaker Jo Cox, a strong supporter of remaining in the EU, was shot and stabbed to death in her constituency in northern England. 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp;

'Migrants are reporting verbal abuse, xenophobic language, anti-migrant leafleting,' says England's National Police Chiefs' Council chair

The number of hate crimes reported to British police online, including some assaults, has increased by more than 500 per cent in the week after the country voted to leave the European Union (EU), a senior police chief said on Thursday. The number of hate crimes reported to police through its online portal - one of several ways incidents can be reported - was 331 since the vote, compared with a weekly average of 63, said Sara Thornton, chair of the National Police Chiefs' Council. The increase supports anecdotal evidence of abuse towards Muslims and Eastern Europeans following the referendum, in which concern about immigration drove many people to vote to leave the 28-country EU. "I have been shocked and disgusted at some of the cases of racial or anti-immigrant abuse that have been reported this week," Thornton said in a statement posted online. "Migrants are reporting verbal abuse, negative social media commentary including xenophobic language, anti-migrant leafleting and, in very limited numbers, physical assaults,” the statement added. Critics accuse some in the "Leave" campaign of stoking xenophobia and racism, as part of a message that leaving the EU would allow Britain to stop uncontrolled immigration, which many Britons blame for putting pressure on jobs and public services. Thornton said all British police forces would now be asked to provide weekly data on such crimes to build a clear picture of the scale of the problem. On Wednesday, Prime Minister David Cameron promised to clamp down on hate crime after a number of lawmakers expressed concern about reported incidents in their regions. The issue was also raised at a meeting of EU leaders in Brussels. The government has promised extra funding to tackle hate crime, to improve reporting of offences and to provide security at potentially vulnerable institutions. A week before the vote, opposition Labour lawmaker Jo Cox, a strong supporter of remaining in the EU, was shot and stabbed to death in her constituency in northern England. (Reuters)

After Brexit, hate crimes reported to police online up by over 500%

Britain&#39;s decision to quit the European Union stemmed from entrenched finger-pointing by British officials and had nothing to do with a proposed trans-Atlantic trade pact, an EU official said on Wednesday. 
 
&quot;In the UK, if you have a situation for decades where the leading politicians blamed all the errors of the world on the EU, you can&#39;t expect to love the EU in a two-week campaign nationally,&quot; said Cecilia Malmstr?m, the EU trade commissioner, who was visiting Washington. 
 
&quot;There&#39;s also a need to reflect upon how they treat the European Union,&quot; she added, remarking on the shock British referendum on Thursday that supported a Brexit. 
 
The EU trade chief was speaking to reporters after participating in an event sponsored by the Atlantic Council on the proposed US-EU Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), which would create the world&#39;s largest free trade and investment area. 
 
Malmstr?m said Brexit was not linked to the controversy surrounding the proposed pact. 
 
&quot;Because of a lack of transparency of TTIP? No, I don&#39;t think so, that would be a totally wrong conclusion,&quot; she insisted. 
 
Both sides have stressed a willingness to clinch the deal despite Britain&#39;s looming exit. 
 
At the Atlantic Council event, Malmstr?m said that &quot;the TTIP will survive the Brexit.&quot; 
 
&quot;The rationale is even stronger now.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

Says the UK politicians blamed all the country's problems on the EU. The public wasn't going to start liking it because of a 2-week campaign

Britain's decision to quit the European Union stemmed from entrenched finger-pointing by British officials and had nothing to do with a proposed trans-Atlantic trade pact, an EU official said on Wednesday. "In the UK, if you have a situation for decades where the leading politicians blamed all the errors of the world on the EU, you can't expect to love the EU in a two-week campaign nationally," said Cecilia Malmstr?m, the EU trade commissioner, who was visiting Washington. "There's also a need to reflect upon how they treat the European Union," she added, remarking on the shock British referendum on Thursday that supported a Brexit. The EU trade chief was speaking to reporters after participating in an event sponsored by the Atlantic Council on the proposed US-EU Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), which would create the world's largest free trade and investment area. Malmstr?m said Brexit was not linked to the controversy surrounding the proposed pact. "Because of a lack of transparency of TTIP? No, I don't think so, that would be a totally wrong conclusion," she insisted. Both sides have stressed a willingness to clinch the deal despite Britain's looming exit. At the Atlantic Council event, Malmstr?m said that "the TTIP will survive the Brexit." "The rationale is even stronger now." (AFP)

Brexit due to 'decades' of British blame, says EU trade chief Malmstr?m

Expressing regret and sadness over Britain&#39;s decision to leave the European Union (EU), Prime Minister David Cameron said on Tuesday the country would not turn its back on Europe and would instead build the strongest ties it could. 
 
At what he said would be his last EU summit, Cameron told a news conference that as a democrat he had accepted the will of the people and other leaders had also respected the choice in a mood &quot;of sadness and regret&quot;. 
 
&quot;I threw myself in head, heart and soul to keep Britain in the European Union and I didn&#39;t succeed,&quot; he said. &quot;And when you lose you have to say right I&#39;ve lost that argument, I&#39;ve lost that ... debate and it&#39;s right to hand over to someone else who will take the country forward. 
 
&quot;Now of course I am sad about that, but frankly I&#39;m more concerned about Britain getting its relationship right with Europe.&quot; 
 
He stressed Britain would leave the European Union, seeking to quash suggestions it could avoid a Brexit or preserve access to the bloc&#39;s prized single market if it curbed flows of migrant workers from the EU. 
 
&quot;If you want the full benefits of the single market, you&#39;ll have to be part of every part of it,&quot; he said. 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp;

'Now of course I am sad about that, but frankly I'm more concerned about Britain getting its relationship right with Europe'

Expressing regret and sadness over Britain's decision to leave the European Union (EU), Prime Minister David Cameron said on Tuesday the country would not turn its back on Europe and would instead build the strongest ties it could. At what he said would be his last EU summit, Cameron told a news conference that as a democrat he had accepted the will of the people and other leaders had also respected the choice in a mood "of sadness and regret". "I threw myself in head, heart and soul to keep Britain in the European Union and I didn't succeed," he said. "And when you lose you have to say right I've lost that argument, I've lost that ... debate and it's right to hand over to someone else who will take the country forward. "Now of course I am sad about that, but frankly I'm more concerned about Britain getting its relationship right with Europe." He stressed Britain would leave the European Union, seeking to quash suggestions it could avoid a Brexit or preserve access to the bloc's prized single market if it curbed flows of migrant workers from the EU. "If you want the full benefits of the single market, you'll have to be part of every part of it," he said. (Reuters)

Cameron regretful after EU divorce, insists on building strongest ties

EU leaders gave Britain breathing space on Tuesday by accepting it needed time to absorb a shock Brexit vote before triggering a divorce but insisted the crunch move could not wait months. 
 
Prime Minister David Cameron came face-to-face with European colleagues for the first time since last week&#39;s vote at a Brussels summit which leaders said was &quot;sad&quot; but pragmatic. 
 
Trillions of dollars have been wiped off world markets since Thursday&#39;s vote to leave the EU, while the United Kingdom&#39;s future has been thrown into doubt after Scotland said it would push for a new independence referendum. 
 
Further shockwaves juddered through British politics as Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the main opposition Labour party, vowed to fight on despite losing a crushing no-confidence vote among his party&#39;s lawmakers. 
 
Thousands of people took to the streets of London, which voted overwhelmingly to stay in the EU, to protest against the referendum result, waving EU flags and placards saying: &quot;Stop Brexit&quot;. 
 
After hours of talks in Brussels, EU president Donald Tusk said that he understood that time was needed &quot;for the dust to settle&quot; in Britain before the next steps can be taken. 
 
But reflecting wider concerns of a domino effect of other states wanting to leave, European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said Britain did not have &quot;months to meditate&quot;. 
 
He set a clear timetable for triggering Article 50, the EU treaty clause that begins the two-year withdrawal process, after Cameron&#39;s successor takes office in early September. 
 
Juncker said that if the new prime minister was a pro-remain figure, Article 50 should be activated &quot;in two weeks after his appointment&quot; - but if it was a supporter of the leave campaign, &quot;it should be done the day after his appointment,&quot; he added. 
 
The current favourites to take over from Cameron are leading Leave campaigner Boris Johnson and interior minister Theresa May, a low-key backer of EU membership. 
 
&#39;&#39;You&#39;re not laughing now&quot; 
 
Over a dinner of poached veal tenderloin followed by strawberries, a chastened Cameron urged EU leaders to consider reforming rules on freedom of movement, one of the EU&#39;s central tenets, to cement a close relationship with Britain post-Brexit. 
 
He said Britain and the EU should &quot;have as close an economic relationship as possible and that the key to staying close is really to look at reform to free movement,&quot; a Downing Street source said, speaking on condition of anonymity. 
 
A British government source added that Cameron believed that free movement was &quot;one of the driving factors in people voting to leave&quot;. 
 
At a press conference, Cameron insisted he had no regrets about holding the referendum. 
 
Earlier, US President Barack Obama warned against &quot;hysteria&quot; as stock markets and the pound staged a tentative recovery after days of losses that saw sterling slump to a 31-year low. 
 
But with so much still remaining uncertain, analysts warned the recovery could be short-lived. 
 
Late Monday, Standard &amp; Poor&#39;s and Fitch both cut their credit ratings for Britain as a result of the referendum. 
 
One happy man was Nigel Farage, head of the UK Independence Party, who told a jeering European Parliament - after a hug with his old sparring partner Juncker - that the joke was now on them. 
 
&quot;When I came here 17 years ago and I said I wanted to lead a campaign to get Britain to leave the EU, you all laughed at me,&quot; he said. &quot;But you are not laughing now.&quot; 
 
Breaking up is hard 
 
European powers are loath to give Britain an easy ride as it leaves the EU, partly because they do not want to send a signal to other countries which may eventually head in the same direction. 
 
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has warned Cameron could not &quot;cherry-pick&quot; the terms of the exit negotiations and that there would be no informal talks before Article 50 was triggered. 
 
The European Parliament has called on Britain to initiate the departure process &quot;as soon as possible&quot;, its president Martin Schulz saying Cameron was &quot;taking the destiny of our entire continent hostage purely for internal political reasons&quot;. 
 
The Brexit vote has also put the remaining 27 members of the EU under pressure to come up with an adequate response to prevent other countries following suit. 
 
The 27 will meet without Cameron on Wednesday and Tusk proposed holding another summit in September in Bratislava. 
 
Westminster chaos 
 
The referendum result has caused a political earthquake in Britain, claiming not only Cameron&#39;s scalp but also leaving Corbyn fighting for survival. 
 
On Tuesday the veteran socialist, who has been accused of not campaigning hard enough to stay in the EU, lost a no-confidence vote among Labour MPs by 172 to 40. 
 
Dozens of Corbyn&#39;s shadow cabinet have already quit but he has insisted he will not &quot;betray&quot; grassroots Labour party members who elected him last year by resigning. 
 
In Scotland, which voted overwhelmingly to remain, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon fleshed out her proposals for about splitting the country off from Britain to keep it in the EU. 
 
She travels to Brussels for talks on Wednesday, saying she was &quot;utterly determined to preserve Scotland&#39;s relationship and place within the EU&quot;. 
 
Scotland voted against independence in a referendum in 2014 but Sturgeon has said that the Britain of that time &quot;does not exist any more&quot; following the Brexit vote. 
 
(AFP)

EU president Donald Tusk said he understood that time was needed before the next steps can be taken in Britain

EU leaders gave Britain breathing space on Tuesday by accepting it needed time to absorb a shock Brexit vote before triggering a divorce but insisted the crunch move could not wait months. Prime Minister David Cameron came face-to-face with European colleagues for the first time since last week's vote at a Brussels summit which leaders said was "sad" but pragmatic. Trillions of dollars have been wiped off world markets since Thursday's vote to leave the EU, while the United Kingdom's future has been thrown into doubt after Scotland said it would push for a new independence referendum. Further shockwaves juddered through British politics as Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the main opposition Labour party, vowed to fight on despite losing a crushing no-confidence vote among his party's lawmakers. Thousands of people took to the streets of London, which voted overwhelmingly to stay in the EU, to protest against the referendum result, waving EU flags and placards saying: "Stop Brexit". After hours of talks in Brussels, EU president Donald Tusk said that he understood that time was needed "for the dust to settle" in Britain before the next steps can be taken. But reflecting wider concerns of a domino effect of other states wanting to leave, European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said Britain did not have "months to meditate". He set a clear timetable for triggering Article 50, the EU treaty clause that begins the two-year withdrawal process, after Cameron's successor takes office in early September. Juncker said that if the new prime minister was a pro-remain figure, Article 50 should be activated "in two weeks after his appointment" - but if it was a supporter of the leave campaign, "it should be done the day after his appointment," he added. The current favourites to take over from Cameron are leading Leave campaigner Boris Johnson and interior minister Theresa May, a low-key backer of EU membership. ''You're not laughing now" Over a dinner of poached veal tenderloin followed by strawberries, a chastened Cameron urged EU leaders to consider reforming rules on freedom of movement, one of the EU's central tenets, to cement a close relationship with Britain post-Brexit. He said Britain and the EU should "have as close an economic relationship as possible and that the key to staying close is really to look at reform to free movement," a Downing Street source said, speaking on condition of anonymity. A British government source added that Cameron believed that free movement was "one of the driving factors in people voting to leave". At a press conference, Cameron insisted he had no regrets about holding the referendum. Earlier, US President Barack Obama warned against "hysteria" as stock markets and the pound staged a tentative recovery after days of losses that saw sterling slump to a 31-year low. But with so much still remaining uncertain, analysts warned the recovery could be short-lived. Late Monday, Standard & Poor's and Fitch both cut their credit ratings for Britain as a result of the referendum. One happy man was Nigel Farage, head of the UK Independence Party, who told a jeering European Parliament - after a hug with his old sparring partner Juncker - that the joke was now on them. "When I came here 17 years ago and I said I wanted to lead a campaign to get Britain to leave the EU, you all laughed at me," he said. "But you are not laughing now." Breaking up is hard European powers are loath to give Britain an easy ride as it leaves the EU, partly because they do not want to send a signal to other countries which may eventually head in the same direction. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has warned Cameron could not "cherry-pick" the terms of the exit negotiations and that there would be no informal talks before Article 50 was triggered. The European Parliament has called on Britain to initiate the departure process "as soon as possible", its president Martin Schulz saying Cameron was "taking the destiny of our entire continent hostage purely for internal political reasons". The Brexit vote has also put the remaining 27 members of the EU under pressure to come up with an adequate response to prevent other countries following suit. The 27 will meet without Cameron on Wednesday and Tusk proposed holding another summit in September in Bratislava. Westminster chaos The referendum result has caused a political earthquake in Britain, claiming not only Cameron's scalp but also leaving Corbyn fighting for survival. On Tuesday the veteran socialist, who has been accused of not campaigning hard enough to stay in the EU, lost a no-confidence vote among Labour MPs by 172 to 40. Dozens of Corbyn's shadow cabinet have already quit but he has insisted he will not "betray" grassroots Labour party members who elected him last year by resigning. In Scotland, which voted overwhelmingly to remain, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon fleshed out her proposals for about splitting the country off from Britain to keep it in the EU. She travels to Brussels for talks on Wednesday, saying she was "utterly determined to preserve Scotland's relationship and place within the EU". Scotland voted against independence in a referendum in 2014 but Sturgeon has said that the Britain of that time "does not exist any more" following the Brexit vote. (AFP)

Britain wins Brexit breathing space at gloomy EU summit

US secretary of state John Kerry said on Tuesday that Britain&#39;s vote to leave the European Union may never be implemented and that London is in no hurry to go. 
 
Speaking one day after talks with Prime Minister David Cameron, Kerry said the outgoing British leader feels &quot;powerless&quot; to negotiate a departure he does not want. 
 
&quot;This is a very complicated divorce,&quot; Kerry told the Aspen Ideas Festival, referring to Britain&#39;s negotiated exit from the EU after last week&#39;s &quot;Brexit&quot; referendum. 
 
Kerry, who visited Downing Street on Monday, said Cameron was loathe to invoke &quot;Article 50&quot; of the Lisbon treaty, which would trigger a two-year timetable for departure. 
 
London, Kerry explained, does not want to find itself boxed in after two years without a new association agreement and to be forced out of the EU without one. 
 
And, he added, Cameron &quot;feels powerless - and I think this is a fair conclusion - to go out and start negotiating a thing that he doesn&#39;t believe in and he has no idea how he would do it. 
 
&quot;And by the way, nor do most of the people who voted to do it,&quot; Kerry said, apparently referring to &quot;Leave&quot; campaigners such as former London mayor Boris Johnson, now the front-runner to replace Cameron as premier. 
 
Asked by the panel moderator if this meant the Brexit decision could be &quot;walked back&quot; and if so how, Kerry said: &quot;I think there are a number of ways.&quot; 
 
&quot;I don&#39;t as secretary of state want to throw them out today. I think that would be a mistake. But there are a number of ways,&quot; he said. 
 
Washington has long supported a strong role for its British ally in the European project, and was dismayed when British voters chose last week to quit the Union. 
 
Now, US officials are calling for a calm debate on Brexit leading to a deal that would allow a close association between London and Brussels to continue. 
 
Some EU leaders, however, insist that Cameron must move quickly to invoke Article 50 and begin divorce talks, to put an end to political and economic uncertainty. 
 
(AFP)

Kerry said there are a number of ways in which the Brexit decision could be walked back

US secretary of state John Kerry said on Tuesday that Britain's vote to leave the European Union may never be implemented and that London is in no hurry to go. Speaking one day after talks with Prime Minister David Cameron, Kerry said the outgoing British leader feels "powerless" to negotiate a departure he does not want. "This is a very complicated divorce," Kerry told the Aspen Ideas Festival, referring to Britain's negotiated exit from the EU after last week's "Brexit" referendum. Kerry, who visited Downing Street on Monday, said Cameron was loathe to invoke "Article 50" of the Lisbon treaty, which would trigger a two-year timetable for departure. London, Kerry explained, does not want to find itself boxed in after two years without a new association agreement and to be forced out of the EU without one. And, he added, Cameron "feels powerless - and I think this is a fair conclusion - to go out and start negotiating a thing that he doesn't believe in and he has no idea how he would do it. "And by the way, nor do most of the people who voted to do it," Kerry said, apparently referring to "Leave" campaigners such as former London mayor Boris Johnson, now the front-runner to replace Cameron as premier. Asked by the panel moderator if this meant the Brexit decision could be "walked back" and if so how, Kerry said: "I think there are a number of ways." "I don't as secretary of state want to throw them out today. I think that would be a mistake. But there are a number of ways," he said. Washington has long supported a strong role for its British ally in the European project, and was dismayed when British voters chose last week to quit the Union. Now, US officials are calling for a calm debate on Brexit leading to a deal that would allow a close association between London and Brussels to continue. Some EU leaders, however, insist that Cameron must move quickly to invoke Article 50 and begin divorce talks, to put an end to political and economic uncertainty. (AFP)

Brexit may not happen, London in no hurry to leave, says US state secretary John Kerry

British Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said on Tuesday he was seriously considering entering the race to succeed David Cameron as prime minister. 
 
Hunt, who backed the campaign to stay in the European Union (EU), told ITV&#39;s Good Morning Britain programme he was weighing up whether to put his name forward before nominations for the next Conservative party leader close on Thursday.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;I am seriously considering it,&quot; he said &quot;What I want to do is to make the argument as to the kind of Britain that we need to be outside the EU. This is a big, big change and if we get it right we can succeed.&quot; 
 
Cameron announced he would resign after Britons voted to leave the EU. Boris Johnson, who was the most high-profile figure in the Leave camp, is the favourite to replace him, but a number of other prominent Conservatives are also thought to be considering a leadership bid. 
 
Hunt said Britain must remain part of the single market, and writing in the Daily Telegraph he said Britain could hold a second referendum on EU membership if it could broker a deal with the bloc to allow full control of its borders. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m not saying we have a second referendum on whether we remain in the EU,&quot; he told the BBC. &quot;We are leaving the EU...but what I am saying is that when we have negotiated the terms of our departure....I do think people should have a chance to have their say on those terms.&quot; 
 
Hunt said the prime minister who succeeded Cameron should be given a chance to negotiate with Brussels before Britain hands in its two-year notice to quit the EU, so they can put any deal on migration to the British public. 
 
&quot;So before setting the clock ticking we need to negotiate a deal and put it to the British people, either in a referendum or through the Conservative manifesto at a fresh general election,&quot; Hunt said. 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp;

'So before setting the clock ticking we need to negotiate a deal and put it to the British people'

British Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said on Tuesday he was seriously considering entering the race to succeed David Cameron as prime minister. Hunt, who backed the campaign to stay in the European Union (EU), told ITV's Good Morning Britain programme he was weighing up whether to put his name forward before nominations for the next Conservative party leader close on Thursday. "I am seriously considering it," he said "What I want to do is to make the argument as to the kind of Britain that we need to be outside the EU. This is a big, big change and if we get it right we can succeed." Cameron announced he would resign after Britons voted to leave the EU. Boris Johnson, who was the most high-profile figure in the Leave camp, is the favourite to replace him, but a number of other prominent Conservatives are also thought to be considering a leadership bid. Hunt said Britain must remain part of the single market, and writing in the Daily Telegraph he said Britain could hold a second referendum on EU membership if it could broker a deal with the bloc to allow full control of its borders. "I'm not saying we have a second referendum on whether we remain in the EU," he told the BBC. "We are leaving the EU...but what I am saying is that when we have negotiated the terms of our departure....I do think people should have a chance to have their say on those terms." Hunt said the prime minister who succeeded Cameron should be given a chance to negotiate with Brussels before Britain hands in its two-year notice to quit the EU, so they can put any deal on migration to the British public. "So before setting the clock ticking we need to negotiate a deal and put it to the British people, either in a referendum or through the Conservative manifesto at a fresh general election," Hunt said. (Reuters)

British health secretary likely to run for PM, pitches negotiations with EU

Britain could have a new prime minister by early September, the ruling Conservative Party said on Monday, after David Cameron started laying the groundwork for his successor to trigger the country&#39;s exit from the European Union. 
 
The government is under pressure to fill a vacuum left when Cameron announced he would resign by October after Britain ignored his advice and voted to leave the 28-member bloc in last week&#39;s referendum. 
 
Triggering a leadership battle that could draw in some of his closest advisers, Cameron urged ministers to work together in the meantime. 
 
One of Cameron&#39;s allies, finance minister George Osborne, ruled himself out of the leadership race, but British media said other cabinet colleagues were poised to enter. 
 
Cameron also formed a separate unit, staffed by public servants, to help advise Britain on its departure and its options for a future outside the EU. 
 
&quot;Although leaving the EU was not the path I recommended, I am the first to praise our incredible strengths as a country,&quot; Cameron told parliament. 
 
&quot;As we proceed with implementing this decision and facing the challenges that it will undoubtedly bring, I believe we should hold fast to a vision of Britain that wants to be respected abroad, tolerant at home, engaged in the world.&quot; 
 
Asked about the possibility of a second EU referendum, Cameron said the result of Thursday&#39;s vote must be accepted. 
 
Graham Brady, chair of the &quot;1922 Committee&quot; of Conservative lawmakers, which sets the party&#39;s ground rules in parliament, said the group had recommended that the leadership contest should begin next week and conclude no later than Sept. 2. 
 
That recommendation will almost certainly be passed. 
 
&quot;Both the Conservatives and the country more generally really want certainty. We would like a resolution and we think it would be a good thing to conclude this process as soon as we practicably can,&quot; Brady told Sky News. 
 
He said there should be no new parliamentary election before Britain had negotiated the terms of its exit from the EU. 
 
Several Conservative lawmakers have urged leadership candidates to try to broker a deal quickly to make sure that any campaign is as painless as possible, and to avoid deepening divisions exposed during the referendum campaign. 
 
&quot;A leadership contest now is not in the interests of our country,&quot; said Justine Greening, international development minister. &quot;It will mean our party focuses inward at the very time our country most needs us to focus outward.&quot; 
 
 
Jockeying for position 
Osborne, who was once widely regarded as a front-runner to succeed Cameron, said his fierce advocacy for Britain staying part of the EU meant he was no longer a suitable candidate for the highest office. 
 
&quot;I believed in this cause and fought hard for it. So it is clear that while I completely accept the result, I am not the person to provide the unity my party needs,&quot; Osborne said in an article published by the Times newspaper. 
 
Work and pensions minister Stephen Crabb is considering a bid to succeed Cameron, Sky News reported, citing sources. He is canvassing Conservative lawmakers for support along with Business Secretary Sajid Javid, who is seeking to become finance minister, Sky said. 
 
The editor of the Spectator magazine tweeted that Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt was also &quot;highly likely&quot; to launch a leadership bid. 
 
But all eyes are on former London mayor Boris Johnson, the most prominent of the &quot;Leave&quot; campaigners and now bookmakers&#39; favourite to succeed Cameron. 
 
But not all party members back him and many are pressing for &quot;Anyone But Boris&quot;, seeing his decision to back the Leave campaign as a betrayal of his former ally Cameron, according to media reports. 
 
A YouGov opinion poll on Monday showed interior minister Theresa May scored better than Johnson on who would make the best prime minister, among both the general public and Conservative voters. 
 
Cameron&#39;s spokesman said the prime minister would not endorse any candidate to succeed him. 
 
Instead, Cameron urged unity both in government and in the country and announced he had set up an advisory unit to help manage Britain&#39;s departure from the European Union and to make sure his successor has all the information necessary to decide the country&#39;s future. 
 
&quot;Clearly this will be the most complex and most important task that the British civil service has undertaken in decades. So the new unit will sit at the heart of government and be led by and staffed by the best and brightest from across our civil service,&quot; Cameron said. 
 
For now, the priority was working together on government business, which some critics say has been all but put on hold since campaigning for the referendum began in February, and reassuring the many migrants who fear their status may change. 
 
Cameron told parliament he would not put up with intolerance, after reports that migrants, particularly those from Poland, had been told by some Britons to &quot;go home&quot; since the referendum. 
 
&quot;Let&#39;s remember these people have come here and made a wonderful contribution to our country. And we will not stand for hate crime or these kinds of attacks,&quot; he said. &quot;They must be stamped out.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

Cameron urged unity both in government and country as work and pensions minister and the health secretary seek to launch a leadership bid

Britain could have a new prime minister by early September, the ruling Conservative Party said on Monday, after David Cameron started laying the groundwork for his successor to trigger the country's exit from the European Union. The government is under pressure to fill a vacuum left when Cameron announced he would resign by October after Britain ignored his advice and voted to leave the 28-member bloc in last week's referendum. Triggering a leadership battle that could draw in some of his closest advisers, Cameron urged ministers to work together in the meantime. One of Cameron's allies, finance minister George Osborne, ruled himself out of the leadership race, but British media said other cabinet colleagues were poised to enter. Cameron also formed a separate unit, staffed by public servants, to help advise Britain on its departure and its options for a future outside the EU. "Although leaving the EU was not the path I recommended, I am the first to praise our incredible strengths as a country," Cameron told parliament. "As we proceed with implementing this decision and facing the challenges that it will undoubtedly bring, I believe we should hold fast to a vision of Britain that wants to be respected abroad, tolerant at home, engaged in the world." Asked about the possibility of a second EU referendum, Cameron said the result of Thursday's vote must be accepted. Graham Brady, chair of the "1922 Committee" of Conservative lawmakers, which sets the party's ground rules in parliament, said the group had recommended that the leadership contest should begin next week and conclude no later than Sept. 2. That recommendation will almost certainly be passed. "Both the Conservatives and the country more generally really want certainty. We would like a resolution and we think it would be a good thing to conclude this process as soon as we practicably can," Brady told Sky News. He said there should be no new parliamentary election before Britain had negotiated the terms of its exit from the EU. Several Conservative lawmakers have urged leadership candidates to try to broker a deal quickly to make sure that any campaign is as painless as possible, and to avoid deepening divisions exposed during the referendum campaign. "A leadership contest now is not in the interests of our country," said Justine Greening, international development minister. "It will mean our party focuses inward at the very time our country most needs us to focus outward." Jockeying for position Osborne, who was once widely regarded as a front-runner to succeed Cameron, said his fierce advocacy for Britain staying part of the EU meant he was no longer a suitable candidate for the highest office. "I believed in this cause and fought hard for it. So it is clear that while I completely accept the result, I am not the person to provide the unity my party needs," Osborne said in an article published by the Times newspaper. Work and pensions minister Stephen Crabb is considering a bid to succeed Cameron, Sky News reported, citing sources. He is canvassing Conservative lawmakers for support along with Business Secretary Sajid Javid, who is seeking to become finance minister, Sky said. The editor of the Spectator magazine tweeted that Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt was also "highly likely" to launch a leadership bid. But all eyes are on former London mayor Boris Johnson, the most prominent of the "Leave" campaigners and now bookmakers' favourite to succeed Cameron. But not all party members back him and many are pressing for "Anyone But Boris", seeing his decision to back the Leave campaign as a betrayal of his former ally Cameron, according to media reports. A YouGov opinion poll on Monday showed interior minister Theresa May scored better than Johnson on who would make the best prime minister, among both the general public and Conservative voters. Cameron's spokesman said the prime minister would not endorse any candidate to succeed him. Instead, Cameron urged unity both in government and in the country and announced he had set up an advisory unit to help manage Britain's departure from the European Union and to make sure his successor has all the information necessary to decide the country's future. "Clearly this will be the most complex and most important task that the British civil service has undertaken in decades. So the new unit will sit at the heart of government and be led by and staffed by the best and brightest from across our civil service," Cameron said. For now, the priority was working together on government business, which some critics say has been all but put on hold since campaigning for the referendum began in February, and reassuring the many migrants who fear their status may change. Cameron told parliament he would not put up with intolerance, after reports that migrants, particularly those from Poland, had been told by some Britons to "go home" since the referendum. "Let's remember these people have come here and made a wonderful contribution to our country. And we will not stand for hate crime or these kinds of attacks," he said. "They must be stamped out." (Reuters)

Preparing for Brexit, Britain may see new Prime Minister by early September

Britain&#39;s vote to leave the European Union may lead to further volatility in financial markets, finance minister George Osborne said on Monday, but &#39;world&#39;s fifth-biggest economy would cope with the challenge ahead&#39;, he asserted.&nbsp; 
 
Osborne, who was speaking publicly for the first time since Britain voted to leave the bloc on Thursday, said the government had put in place robust contingency plans and there was more action that it and the Bank of England could take. 
 
&quot;Our economy is about as strong as it could be to confront the challenge our country now faces,&quot; he told a news conference at Britain&#39;s finance ministry.&nbsp; 
 
 
Osborne to clarify his political future in coming days&nbsp; 
Osborne&#39;s future as finance minister has come under question after he was on the losing side in the referendum.&nbsp;During the campaign, he said he would have to raise taxes and cut spending in the event of a vote to leave the EU. 
 
On Monday, however, he said the government should wait until the successor to Prime Minister David Cameron is in place before deciding on how to change its fiscal plans in response to the expected slowdown in the economy. 
 
Cameron said on Friday he would stand down but would stay in the job until his successor was in place in October. 
 
&quot;There will be an adjustment in our economy because of the decision that the British people have taken,&quot; Osborne said. 
 
&quot;There will have to be action to deal with the impact on the public finances, but of course it&#39;s perfectly sensible to wait until we have a new prime minister to determine what that will look like,&quot; he said. 
 
Sterling, which fell more than 8 percent against the US dollar on Friday, trimmed some of its losses on Monday as Osborne spoke. 
 
Further, Osborne, who was once the favourite to succeed Cameron, said he would clarify his political future in the coming days. 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp; 
 
 
&nbsp;

Osborne said UK government should wait until David Cameron's successor is in place before deciding on how to change its fiscal plans

Britain's vote to leave the European Union may lead to further volatility in financial markets, finance minister George Osborne said on Monday, but 'world's fifth-biggest economy would cope with the challenge ahead', he asserted. Osborne, who was speaking publicly for the first time since Britain voted to leave the bloc on Thursday, said the government had put in place robust contingency plans and there was more action that it and the Bank of England could take. "Our economy is about as strong as it could be to confront the challenge our country now faces," he told a news conference at Britain's finance ministry. Osborne to clarify his political future in coming days Osborne's future as finance minister has come under question after he was on the losing side in the referendum. During the campaign, he said he would have to raise taxes and cut spending in the event of a vote to leave the EU. On Monday, however, he said the government should wait until the successor to Prime Minister David Cameron is in place before deciding on how to change its fiscal plans in response to the expected slowdown in the economy. Cameron said on Friday he would stand down but would stay in the job until his successor was in place in October. "There will be an adjustment in our economy because of the decision that the British people have taken," Osborne said. "There will have to be action to deal with the impact on the public finances, but of course it's perfectly sensible to wait until we have a new prime minister to determine what that will look like," he said. Sterling, which fell more than 8 percent against the US dollar on Friday, trimmed some of its losses on Monday as Osborne spoke. Further, Osborne, who was once the favourite to succeed Cameron, said he would clarify his political future in the coming days. (Reuters)

Economy strong enough to face Brexit vote, Osborne calls for patient approach

The petition calling for a second referendum on Britain`s exit from the European Union (EU) which has gained more than three million signatures is under investigation by parliamentary authorities for possible manipulations. 
 
The House of Commons petitions committee has confirmed that 77,000 signatures were added fraudulently and have been removed and the committee is now continually monitoring the petition for any suspicious activity. 
 
The request for another referendum on the Parliament&#39;s official petitions website should have been signed only by British and UK residents, but data showed signatories from other countries as well, including Iceland, the Cayman Islands and Tunisia. 
 
According to the officials, in some cases there are more signatures than total population like in the Vatican City that has a total population of just 800, but over 39,000 residents of the city appeared to have signed the petition. 
 
Helen Jones, the chair of the petitions committee, said that those signatures discovered to be fake would be &quot;removed&quot; and said such fraud &quot;undermines the process of parliamentary democracy&quot;, reports The Guardian. 
 
She said, &quot;The Government Digital Service are taking action to investigate and, where necessary, remove fraudulent signatures.&nbsp; 
It is clear that this petition is very important to a substantial number of people.&nbsp; 
 
The petitions committee will be considering the petition at its meeting next week, and will decide whether or not to schedule a debate on it. 
 
&quot;The website`s only identity `test` is a simple checkbox asking to confirm you are either a British citizen or that you are a resident of the UK.&nbsp; 
 
While postcodes are required, street addresses are not, and no proof of ID is needed. 
 
The petition was started by leave activist William Oliver Healey in May, when polls suggested remain would win. Parliament must consider all petitions that reach a threshold of 100,000 votes for a debate.&nbsp; 
 
(ANI)

The House of Commons petitions committee has confirmed that 77,000 signatures were added fraudulently and have been removed

The petition calling for a second referendum on Britain`s exit from the European Union (EU) which has gained more than three million signatures is under investigation by parliamentary authorities for possible manipulations. The House of Commons petitions committee has confirmed that 77,000 signatures were added fraudulently and have been removed and the committee is now continually monitoring the petition for any suspicious activity. The request for another referendum on the Parliament's official petitions website should have been signed only by British and UK residents, but data showed signatories from other countries as well, including Iceland, the Cayman Islands and Tunisia. According to the officials, in some cases there are more signatures than total population like in the Vatican City that has a total population of just 800, but over 39,000 residents of the city appeared to have signed the petition. Helen Jones, the chair of the petitions committee, said that those signatures discovered to be fake would be "removed" and said such fraud "undermines the process of parliamentary democracy", reports The Guardian. She said, "The Government Digital Service are taking action to investigate and, where necessary, remove fraudulent signatures. It is clear that this petition is very important to a substantial number of people. The petitions committee will be considering the petition at its meeting next week, and will decide whether or not to schedule a debate on it. "The website`s only identity `test` is a simple checkbox asking to confirm you are either a British citizen or that you are a resident of the UK. While postcodes are required, street addresses are not, and no proof of ID is needed. The petition was started by leave activist William Oliver Healey in May, when polls suggested remain would win. Parliament must consider all petitions that reach a threshold of 100,000 votes for a debate. (ANI)

Brexit: Petition for second EU referendum under scrutiny for fraudulent signatures

Just days after a shock Brexit, Spaniards started voting in repeat elections Sunday to decide if they too want a radical change as promised by a far-left coalition led by Podemos. 
 
The polls, which opened at 0700 GMT under a generally blue sky nationwide, are pitting voters hungry for change in a country with sky-high unemployment against those who fear this change would worsen the situation for Spain, which was on the brink of collapse just a few years ago. 
 
Britain&#39;s surprise vote to leave the European Union has further exacerbated this cleavage, with the outgoing conservative Popular Party (PP) insisting on the need for &quot;stability&quot; in the face of &quot;radicalism&quot; and &quot;populism&quot;, in a thinly-veiled dig at the Unidos Podemos coalition. 
 
&quot;If you want a united country and not a radical Spain, think about it, go for what is safe... vote for the Popular Party,&quot; acting prime minister Mariano Rajoy said in one of his last tweets before the obligatory day of campaign silence. 
 
Voters have the choice between four major political groupings after the emergence of Podemos and centre-right upstart Ciudadanos last year uprooted the country`s two-party dominance.&nbsp;This upheaval meant that the last general elections in December resulted in a hung parliament, after which parties failed to agree on a coalition, prompting Sunday`s repeat vote. 
 
Opinion polls suggest fractured mandate&nbsp; 
Opinion polls suggest the results Sunday will also be fractured, with the PP coming first without a majority, tailed by Unidos Podemos, which could replace the 137-year-old Socialist party as Spain`s main left-wing force. 
 
Political leaders will have to go back to the negotiating table, under more pressure this time to form a coalition.Throughout the latest campaign -- and again on Friday after Brexit -- the PP has hammered away at the need for stability in reference to the rise of Unidos Podemos, which like Greece`s ruling Syriza party rejects EU-backed austerity and pledges to fight for the least well-off. 
 
Electorate on lookout for stable party &nbsp; 
The coalition, led by charismatic, pony-tailed Pablo Iglesias, has responded with a message of calm aimed at defusing this criticism. 
 
Unidos Podemos, the &quot;o&quot; of Unidos shaped as a heart, has made &quot;smile of a country&quot; its slogan for an emotional campaign. 
 
Rajoy argues that since the PP came to power in 2011, it has brought Spain back to growth and overseen a drop in unemployment -- though at 21 percent it is still the second highest rate in the European Union after Greece. 
 
But his rivals retort that inequalities have risen, the jobs created are mainly unstable, and they point to the repeated corruption scandals to have hit the PP. 
 
Ileana Vellon Garcia, a 51-year-old cleaner in Madrid, will vote for Unidos Podemos.&nbsp;&quot;They represent change. I was for the Socialists for a long time, but they have really disappointed me,&quot; she says. 
 
Whether Brexit will have any influence on Spain`s election is as yet uncertain. 
 
But for Vicente Serrano, a 74-year-old retiree in the southeastern port city of Alicante, uncertainty is not a good thing. &quot;At a time of such sudden changes in the world, look at the United Kingdom, I&#39;m opting for the right because it tends to be less fickle,&quot; he says.&nbsp; 
 
(AFP)&nbsp; 
 
 
 
 
 
&nbsp;

Last elections were held six months ago, failed to throw up a stable government

Just days after a shock Brexit, Spaniards started voting in repeat elections Sunday to decide if they too want a radical change as promised by a far-left coalition led by Podemos. The polls, which opened at 0700 GMT under a generally blue sky nationwide, are pitting voters hungry for change in a country with sky-high unemployment against those who fear this change would worsen the situation for Spain, which was on the brink of collapse just a few years ago. Britain's surprise vote to leave the European Union has further exacerbated this cleavage, with the outgoing conservative Popular Party (PP) insisting on the need for "stability" in the face of "radicalism" and "populism", in a thinly-veiled dig at the Unidos Podemos coalition. "If you want a united country and not a radical Spain, think about it, go for what is safe... vote for the Popular Party," acting prime minister Mariano Rajoy said in one of his last tweets before the obligatory day of campaign silence. Voters have the choice between four major political groupings after the emergence of Podemos and centre-right upstart Ciudadanos last year uprooted the country`s two-party dominance. This upheaval meant that the last general elections in December resulted in a hung parliament, after which parties failed to agree on a coalition, prompting Sunday`s repeat vote. Opinion polls suggest fractured mandate Opinion polls suggest the results Sunday will also be fractured, with the PP coming first without a majority, tailed by Unidos Podemos, which could replace the 137-year-old Socialist party as Spain`s main left-wing force. Political leaders will have to go back to the negotiating table, under more pressure this time to form a coalition.Throughout the latest campaign -- and again on Friday after Brexit -- the PP has hammered away at the need for stability in reference to the rise of Unidos Podemos, which like Greece`s ruling Syriza party rejects EU-backed austerity and pledges to fight for the least well-off. Electorate on lookout for stable party The coalition, led by charismatic, pony-tailed Pablo Iglesias, has responded with a message of calm aimed at defusing this criticism. Unidos Podemos, the "o" of Unidos shaped as a heart, has made "smile of a country" its slogan for an emotional campaign. Rajoy argues that since the PP came to power in 2011, it has brought Spain back to growth and overseen a drop in unemployment -- though at 21 percent it is still the second highest rate in the European Union after Greece. But his rivals retort that inequalities have risen, the jobs created are mainly unstable, and they point to the repeated corruption scandals to have hit the PP. Ileana Vellon Garcia, a 51-year-old cleaner in Madrid, will vote for Unidos Podemos. "They represent change. I was for the Socialists for a long time, but they have really disappointed me," she says. Whether Brexit will have any influence on Spain`s election is as yet uncertain. But for Vicente Serrano, a 74-year-old retiree in the southeastern port city of Alicante, uncertainty is not a good thing. "At a time of such sudden changes in the world, look at the United Kingdom, I'm opting for the right because it tends to be less fickle," he says. (AFP)

Spain goes to the polls

Britain&#39;s vote to leave the European Union (EU) could open a period of turbulence for the country&#39;s airline industry, which has soared under the EU&#39;s Single European Sky system over the last two decades. 
 
Among the mass of agreements that Britain will have to renegotiate with Brussels are those governing flights between Britain and the rest of the EU. 
 
&quot;They are not long, the days of wine and roses,&quot; whether for airlines, airports or British air travellers, points out Peter Morris, chief economist at Ascend Flightglobal Consultancy. 
 
British airlines may not be able to introduce any route without prior authorisation&nbsp; 
The single sky system lifted trade restrictions on airlines controlled by EU member states or their nationals, and whose headquarters are located within the EU.&nbsp;Unless British negotiators manage to secure preferential conditions, British airlines will lose this status. 
 
This will mean they no longer enjoy rights including being able to freely set airfares, and to launch any route in Europe without getting authorisation in advance. 
 
In concrete terms, passengers leaving or arriving in the United Kingdom will face new taxes, while British airlines will be slower to develop new routes. 
 
Airlines in Britain might want to remain in Single European Sky&nbsp; 
The shares of two main key players in the sector, EasyJet and the International Airlines Group (IAG), plummeted Friday following the news of the shock Brexit vote, losing 14.35 percent and 22.54 respectively on the London market. 
 
Low-cost airline Ryanair, however, which campaigned vocally for Britain to remain in the EU, is a little less exposed because it is based in Ireland, even if it has a large presence in Britain. 
 
As soon as the referendum result became clear, EasyJet wrote to British and EU authorities pressing them to ensure that Britain remains in the Single European Sky. 
 
&quot;Britain being in Europe is the best thing for Britain,&quot; EasyJet chief executive Carolyn McCall told AFP a few months before Thursday&#39;s referendum. 
 
&quot;That is based on the fact that deregulation of aviation has been a fantastic benefit to consumers,&quot; she said, noting that it had reduced fares by 40 percent and increased routes by 170 percent. 
 
On Friday the airline insisted that Brexit will not have a major impact on its strategy, but also said it was working on alternative options to allow it to maintain its current network and operations. 
 
According to Morris, EasyJet, currently based at Luton airport north of London, &quot;will doubtless already have plans under way for a head office within the EU, perhaps under a different brand&quot;. 
 
He said he also expects that IAG, which includes British Airways and which is headquartered in London, will try to widen its network using its non-British subsidiary airlines, at the expense of British Airways. 
 
IAG also owns Spanish carriers Iberia and Vueling as well as Ireland&#39;s Aer Lingus, which it could use to strengthen its operations around hubs in Dublin and Madrid. 
 
That could harm London&#39;s role as an international hub with five airports. 
 
Fall in demand for flights to Europe also likely&nbsp; 
The Brexit vote may have a few more consequences for the aviation sector in the country.&nbsp; 
 
On the downside for the British capital, tides of US and Asian passengers who transit via its airports could be attracted by offers from hubs which remain in the EU. 
 
Further, the long-debated construction of a new runway at Heathrow or Gatwick, Britain&#39;s two main airports, could be delayed further if &quot;Leave&quot; campaign figurehead Boris Johnson becomes prime minister. 
 
The former London mayor, tipped as a frontrunner to succeed Prime Minister David Cameron after the Brexit vote, has long campaigned for an alternative plan to build a new airport in the Thames estuary east of the capital. 
 
&quot;For Heathrow and its third runway the game&#39;s up,&quot; said John Strickland of JLS Consulting.&nbsp;He highlighted another more immediate consequence of the Brexit vote: the collapse of sterling on exchange markets. 
 
This will lead to higher fuel and lease costs, and a likely fall in demand for flights to Europe by British travellers whose pounds aren&#39;t worth as much on the continent since Thursday&#39;s shock vote. 
 
(AFP)&nbsp; 
 
 
 
 
&nbsp;

In concrete terms, passengers leaving or arriving in United Kingdom may face new taxes, while British airlines will be slower to develop

Britain's vote to leave the European Union (EU) could open a period of turbulence for the country's airline industry, which has soared under the EU's Single European Sky system over the last two decades. Among the mass of agreements that Britain will have to renegotiate with Brussels are those governing flights between Britain and the rest of the EU. "They are not long, the days of wine and roses," whether for airlines, airports or British air travellers, points out Peter Morris, chief economist at Ascend Flightglobal Consultancy. British airlines may not be able to introduce any route without prior authorisation The single sky system lifted trade restrictions on airlines controlled by EU member states or their nationals, and whose headquarters are located within the EU. Unless British negotiators manage to secure preferential conditions, British airlines will lose this status. This will mean they no longer enjoy rights including being able to freely set airfares, and to launch any route in Europe without getting authorisation in advance. In concrete terms, passengers leaving or arriving in the United Kingdom will face new taxes, while British airlines will be slower to develop new routes. Airlines in Britain might want to remain in Single European Sky The shares of two main key players in the sector, EasyJet and the International Airlines Group (IAG), plummeted Friday following the news of the shock Brexit vote, losing 14.35 percent and 22.54 respectively on the London market. Low-cost airline Ryanair, however, which campaigned vocally for Britain to remain in the EU, is a little less exposed because it is based in Ireland, even if it has a large presence in Britain. As soon as the referendum result became clear, EasyJet wrote to British and EU authorities pressing them to ensure that Britain remains in the Single European Sky. "Britain being in Europe is the best thing for Britain," EasyJet chief executive Carolyn McCall told AFP a few months before Thursday's referendum. "That is based on the fact that deregulation of aviation has been a fantastic benefit to consumers," she said, noting that it had reduced fares by 40 percent and increased routes by 170 percent. On Friday the airline insisted that Brexit will not have a major impact on its strategy, but also said it was working on alternative options to allow it to maintain its current network and operations. According to Morris, EasyJet, currently based at Luton airport north of London, "will doubtless already have plans under way for a head office within the EU, perhaps under a different brand". He said he also expects that IAG, which includes British Airways and which is headquartered in London, will try to widen its network using its non-British subsidiary airlines, at the expense of British Airways. IAG also owns Spanish carriers Iberia and Vueling as well as Ireland's Aer Lingus, which it could use to strengthen its operations around hubs in Dublin and Madrid. That could harm London's role as an international hub with five airports. Fall in demand for flights to Europe also likely The Brexit vote may have a few more consequences for the aviation sector in the country. On the downside for the British capital, tides of US and Asian passengers who transit via its airports could be attracted by offers from hubs which remain in the EU. Further, the long-debated construction of a new runway at Heathrow or Gatwick, Britain's two main airports, could be delayed further if "Leave" campaign figurehead Boris Johnson becomes prime minister. The former London mayor, tipped as a frontrunner to succeed Prime Minister David Cameron after the Brexit vote, has long campaigned for an alternative plan to build a new airport in the Thames estuary east of the capital. "For Heathrow and its third runway the game's up," said John Strickland of JLS Consulting. He highlighted another more immediate consequence of the Brexit vote: the collapse of sterling on exchange markets. This will lead to higher fuel and lease costs, and a likely fall in demand for flights to Europe by British travellers whose pounds aren't worth as much on the continent since Thursday's shock vote. (AFP)

Brexit effect: Turbulent road ahead or sky full of opportunities for British airlines?

With property prices in Britain predicted to plummet post-Brexit,&nbsp;foreign investors, especially in Asia, are already poised for a buying spree.

It is an ironic twist to the shock referendum result -- many who opted to leave the European Union saw their vote as a deterrent to outsiders looking to take advantage of economic opportunities in Britain.

The aftermath of Thursday&#39;s vote to leave the EU saw the resignation of British Prime Minister David Cameron and the collapse of the pound to a 31-year low. There was pandemonium on currency, equity and oil markets.

At around 2100 GMT Friday, sterling was down about 8.8 per cent against the dollar compared with Thursday night, and&nbsp;foreign&nbsp;exchange experts predicted more weakness ahead.

Property prices are also expected to take a hit, with reports of buyers pulling out of transactions due to market uncertainty.

But while there may be a &quot;wait and see&quot; approach for some, ambitious&nbsp;foreign investors are on the hunt for bargains while the exchange rate is so low.

&quot;Several of my opportunistic investors have said we really ought to think about this seriously, and to think whether we should take advantage of this new window in the market,&quot; said Nicholas Brooke, chairman of professional property services for the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

&quot;Anyone who&#39;s not dealing in sterling would see an opportunity.&quot;

Brooke, whose firm plays an advisory role for prospective buyers, said while many clients remained cautious, some in Hong Kong and China with &quot;substantial&quot; investment capabilities had voiced interest.

London-based international property agent Knight Frank also said&nbsp;foreign investors would be wary as they assessed the full impact of the Brexit fallout, but the drop in the pound would mean their buying power would &quot;increase significantly&quot;.

Interest would be especially strong from China, Hong Kong and Singapore, -- where investors have a long history of buying up property in Britain, especially London, the firm&#39;s Asia-Pacific specialist Nicholas Holt said.

Chinese international property portal Juwai.com predicted 30 per cent more consumer enquiries this month than in May.

The historic low of the pound against the Singapore dollar also constituted a &quot;fantastic buying opportunity&quot; for investors in the city, added Donald Han, executive director of Chesterton Singapore, a consultancy specialising in UK property. 
 
&#39;Wholehearted embrace&#39; 
 
Asian investors have long sought out both commercial and residential UK property off the back of potential for capital growth and a resilient economy.

London house prices are some of the most expensive in the world and have been on the rise over the past six years.

But in the wake of the Brexit vote, international consultancy KPMG has forecast house prices could fall five per cent nationwide and even more in the capital.

Property consultancy Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) said capital value adjustment could be down up to 10 per cent in the next two years.

The International Monetary Fund has warned that the British economy could sink into recession next year and overall economic output would be 5.6 per cent lower than otherwise forecast by 2019, with unemployment rising back above six per cent.

However, the Brexit camp argues that the business world will adapt quickly with Britain&#39;s flexible and dynamic economy buoyed by new economic partners and selective immigration.

&quot;The UK&#39;s decision to leave the EU is an historic event and we should embrace this wholeheartedly,&quot; said Robin Paterson, joint chairman of UK Sotheby&#39;s International Realty.

He predicted increased investment from from Asia as well as the US.

Besides established investors into Britain, some areas might see new blood join the fray.

JLL predicts more buyers from India, which is already an established source of property investment into Britain.

&quot;It is very likely that many more Indians will seek to&nbsp;invest&nbsp;there,&quot; said Anuj Puri, JLL chairman and country head for India.

(AFP)

&nbsp;

It's ironic. Many Britons who opted to leave the EU thought their vote would keep outsiders out

With property prices in Britain predicted to plummet post-Brexit, foreign investors, especially in Asia, are already poised for a buying spree. It is an ironic twist to the shock referendum result -- many who opted to leave the European Union saw their vote as a deterrent to outsiders looking to take advantage of economic opportunities in Britain. The aftermath of Thursday's vote to leave the EU saw the resignation of British Prime Minister David Cameron and the collapse of the pound to a 31-year low. There was pandemonium on currency, equity and oil markets. At around 2100 GMT Friday, sterling was down about 8.8 per cent against the dollar compared with Thursday night, and foreign exchange experts predicted more weakness ahead. Property prices are also expected to take a hit, with reports of buyers pulling out of transactions due to market uncertainty. But while there may be a "wait and see" approach for some, ambitious foreign investors are on the hunt for bargains while the exchange rate is so low. "Several of my opportunistic investors have said we really ought to think about this seriously, and to think whether we should take advantage of this new window in the market," said Nicholas Brooke, chairman of professional property services for the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. "Anyone who's not dealing in sterling would see an opportunity." Brooke, whose firm plays an advisory role for prospective buyers, said while many clients remained cautious, some in Hong Kong and China with "substantial" investment capabilities had voiced interest. London-based international property agent Knight Frank also said foreign investors would be wary as they assessed the full impact of the Brexit fallout, but the drop in the pound would mean their buying power would "increase significantly". Interest would be especially strong from China, Hong Kong and Singapore, -- where investors have a long history of buying up property in Britain, especially London, the firm's Asia-Pacific specialist Nicholas Holt said. Chinese international property portal Juwai.com predicted 30 per cent more consumer enquiries this month than in May. The historic low of the pound against the Singapore dollar also constituted a "fantastic buying opportunity" for investors in the city, added Donald Han, executive director of Chesterton Singapore, a consultancy specialising in UK property. 'Wholehearted embrace' Asian investors have long sought out both commercial and residential UK property off the back of potential for capital growth and a resilient economy. London house prices are some of the most expensive in the world and have been on the rise over the past six years. But in the wake of the Brexit vote, international consultancy KPMG has forecast house prices could fall five per cent nationwide and even more in the capital. Property consultancy Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) said capital value adjustment could be down up to 10 per cent in the next two years. The International Monetary Fund has warned that the British economy could sink into recession next year and overall economic output would be 5.6 per cent lower than otherwise forecast by 2019, with unemployment rising back above six per cent. However, the Brexit camp argues that the business world will adapt quickly with Britain's flexible and dynamic economy buoyed by new economic partners and selective immigration. "The UK's decision to leave the EU is an historic event and we should embrace this wholeheartedly," said Robin Paterson, joint chairman of UK Sotheby's International Realty. He predicted increased investment from from Asia as well as the US. Besides established investors into Britain, some areas might see new blood join the fray. JLL predicts more buyers from India, which is already an established source of property investment into Britain. "It is very likely that many more Indians will seek to invest there," said Anuj Puri, JLL chairman and country head for India. (AFP)

With home prices expected to crash post-Brexit, foreign investors poised for buying spree

Just days after voting to leave the European Union, more than 2.5 million Britons and UK residents have signed a petition calling for a second vote, forcing lawmakers to at least consider a debate on the issue. 
 
Parliament has to consider a debate on any petition posted on its website that attracts more than 100,000 signatures. 
 
The proposal, posted before the June 23 referendum, said the government should hold another plebiscite on EU membership if the support for Leave or Remain in a referendum was less than 60 per cent in a turnout of under 75 per cent of eligible voters. 
 
The result on Thursday saw 52 per cent of voters, 17,410,742 people, back a British exit, on a turnout of 72 per cent. 
 
According to an opinion poll conducted on Friday, half of voters said the result should stand, even if the EU offered more reforms to Britain&#39;s EU membership, while 39 per cent said a second referendum should be held under the new terms offered. 
 
Some 48 per cent of British adults said they were happy with the result against 43 per cent who were unhappy, according to the poll by ComRes for the Sunday Mirror. 
 
The online petition -- which only British citizens or UK residents have the right to sign -- was proving so popular that by 2136 GMT on Saturday, 2,503,065 people had signed it. 
 
Most of those who signed were based in areas where support for staying in the EU was strongest, most especially London, the website indicated. 
 
Prime Minister David Cameron, who said on Friday he would resign after leading the failed campaign to keep Britain in the EU, had said there would be no second referendum. 
 
The ComRes poll also asked a representative sample of 1,069 adults when the next general election should be. 
 
One third said there should be a vote as soon as the next prime minister was in place in the autumn, while 23 per cent said an election should be held early next year. 
 
Some 27 per cent said the next election should be in 2020 as currently planned, according to the online poll. 
 
(Reuters)

Britain's parliament has to consider a debate on any petition posted on its website that attracts more than a 100,000 signatures

Just days after voting to leave the European Union, more than 2.5 million Britons and UK residents have signed a petition calling for a second vote, forcing lawmakers to at least consider a debate on the issue. Parliament has to consider a debate on any petition posted on its website that attracts more than 100,000 signatures. The proposal, posted before the June 23 referendum, said the government should hold another plebiscite on EU membership if the support for Leave or Remain in a referendum was less than 60 per cent in a turnout of under 75 per cent of eligible voters. The result on Thursday saw 52 per cent of voters, 17,410,742 people, back a British exit, on a turnout of 72 per cent. According to an opinion poll conducted on Friday, half of voters said the result should stand, even if the EU offered more reforms to Britain's EU membership, while 39 per cent said a second referendum should be held under the new terms offered. Some 48 per cent of British adults said they were happy with the result against 43 per cent who were unhappy, according to the poll by ComRes for the Sunday Mirror. The online petition -- which only British citizens or UK residents have the right to sign -- was proving so popular that by 2136 GMT on Saturday, 2,503,065 people had signed it. Most of those who signed were based in areas where support for staying in the EU was strongest, most especially London, the website indicated. Prime Minister David Cameron, who said on Friday he would resign after leading the failed campaign to keep Britain in the EU, had said there would be no second referendum. The ComRes poll also asked a representative sample of 1,069 adults when the next general election should be. One third said there should be a vote as soon as the next prime minister was in place in the autumn, while 23 per cent said an election should be held early next year. Some 27 per cent said the next election should be in 2020 as currently planned, according to the online poll. (Reuters)

Over 2.5 million sign petition asking for second EU referendum

With early returns indicating a close result and prompting big swings in the value of sterling, oil prices fell after voting ended in a UK referendum on whether to stay in the European Union (EU). 
 
While U.S. crude was down 35 cents at $49.76 a barrel at 0001 GMT; Brent crude was down 27 cents at $50.64 a barrel.&nbsp; 
On Thursday, both contracts rose sharply, rallying on optimism the Britons would vote to stay in Europe. 
 
Pertinently, the first few official results on Friday put the &#39;Brexit&#39; campaign ahead, although opinion polls suggest that the vote will end in a victory for the &#39;remain&#39; campaign.&nbsp; 
 
Also, with results in from the first five of 382 voting districts, those in favour of ending Britain&#39;s 43-year membership had a small lead, but it was too early to discern a reliable trend. 
 
Sterling slumped to $1.4475, having earlier hit a high for the year at $1.5022. The euro turned tail to hit $1.1324 and the yen recouped early losses to stand at 104.96 per dollar. 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp;

Albeit, opinion polls have suggested that the vote will end in a victory for the 'remain' campaign

With early returns indicating a close result and prompting big swings in the value of sterling, oil prices fell after voting ended in a UK referendum on whether to stay in the European Union (EU). While U.S. crude was down 35 cents at $49.76 a barrel at 0001 GMT; Brent crude was down 27 cents at $50.64 a barrel. On Thursday, both contracts rose sharply, rallying on optimism the Britons would vote to stay in Europe. Pertinently, the first few official results on Friday put the 'Brexit' campaign ahead, although opinion polls suggest that the vote will end in a victory for the 'remain' campaign. Also, with results in from the first five of 382 voting districts, those in favour of ending Britain's 43-year membership had a small lead, but it was too early to discern a reliable trend. Sterling slumped to $1.4475, having earlier hit a high for the year at $1.5022. The euro turned tail to hit $1.1324 and the yen recouped early losses to stand at 104.96 per dollar. (Reuters)

Oil prices fall after as first few results put 'Brexit' ahead

Scotland sees its future in the European Union (EU) despite Britain&#39;s vote to leave, first minister Nicola Sturgeon said today, raising the spectre of a new Scottish independence vote and the possible dissolution of the United Kingdom. 
 
Scotland voted by a margin of 62 per cent to 38 per cent to remain in the EU in a referendum on Thursday that put it at odds with Britain as a whole, which voted 52-48 in favour of Leave. 
 
&quot;Scotland has delivered a strong, unequivocal vote to remain in the EU, and I welcome that endorsement of our European status,&quot; said Sturgeon, head of the Scottish National Party. 
 
Former first minister Alex Salmond explicitly said Scotland is now likely to push for a second independence referendum after the conditions spelled out in the SNP manifesto before re-election in May appeared to have been met. 
 
One key reason Scots rejected independence in a referendum almost three years ago was because independence meant leaving the EU too. After Thursday&#39;s vote, the question is whether some Scots who wavered but eventually voted to stick with the UK in 2014, may now prefer to join the secessionists. 
 
Splitting Scotland from the UK would end three centuries of shared history, upending another successful economic relationship shortly after the now-impending divorce between Britain and the EU. 
 
Most voters in Northern Ireland also voted to remain and Irish nationalist leaders there called for a poll on leaving the United Kingdom and uniting with Ireland. 
 
Calling a new Scottish vote would not be quick or simple and the SNP, marked by caution since Sturgeon took over as leader, would want to first ensure a new vote could be won. 
 
Where the last Scottish independence campaign fell down is considered to be the economic argument; a new Scotland was then projected to stick with its old currency, the pound, and was underpinned by an oil price then over $100 but which is now roughly a half of that level. 
 
Sturgeon would have to build a robust economic independence strategy to convince those emotionally persuaded in 2014 but not economically so. 
 
She would also have to make sure that the maelstrom around Britain&#39;s EU exit does not sweep away some of the support the SNP currently has. 
 
There are other big factors hindering a divorce. One may fear that a lightweight EU, without Britain, is a less attractive partner for Scotland, which sends two thirds of its output to the rest of the UK. 
 
Another rests on concerns about what a border between England and Scotland would do to both security and the economy. 
 
&quot;It could be that in the panic that ensues after a British exit, some people might want to stick with what we still have,&rdquo; said an SNP lawmaker speaking on condition of anonymity. 
 
Polls do not indicate that support for secession has changed much since 2014, but there are several other factors, beyond leaving the EU, which mean that could change. 
 
The biggest is Sturgeon herself, a skilled politician, highly rated by both political friends and foes. 
 
With approval ratings of 60 percent among Scots according to pollster Yougov, she is a convincing messenger for independence which she told Reuters last week she &quot;desperately&quot; wants. 
 
Yet Sturgeon needed to play it cautiously for &quot;good reason,&quot; said Anand Menon of think tank UK in a Changing Europe. 
 
&quot;Nicola Sturgeon knows that if Scotland is independent and England is out of the EU, you have an external EU border between Scotland and England. An external border means the prospects of terrorists, its means the prospect of different regulations, and trade will be obstructed,&quot; Menon said. 
 
Many voters remain sceptical but acknowledge the departure of Britain from the EU shone a new light on the issue. 
 
&quot;The SNP will have to come back with a better argument for independence in a European context to convince me,&quot; said Catherine, a 41-year-old operations manager from Aberdeen. 
 
&quot;If they come back with some real proper facts and figures I would think about it. We&rsquo;re a small country, we definitely don&rsquo;t want to be on our own.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

It voted 62 to 38% to remain, is now likely to push for a second independence referendum which could mean the dissolution of the UK

Scotland sees its future in the European Union (EU) despite Britain's vote to leave, first minister Nicola Sturgeon said today, raising the spectre of a new Scottish independence vote and the possible dissolution of the United Kingdom. Scotland voted by a margin of 62 per cent to 38 per cent to remain in the EU in a referendum on Thursday that put it at odds with Britain as a whole, which voted 52-48 in favour of Leave. "Scotland has delivered a strong, unequivocal vote to remain in the EU, and I welcome that endorsement of our European status," said Sturgeon, head of the Scottish National Party. Former first minister Alex Salmond explicitly said Scotland is now likely to push for a second independence referendum after the conditions spelled out in the SNP manifesto before re-election in May appeared to have been met. One key reason Scots rejected independence in a referendum almost three years ago was because independence meant leaving the EU too. After Thursday's vote, the question is whether some Scots who wavered but eventually voted to stick with the UK in 2014, may now prefer to join the secessionists. Splitting Scotland from the UK would end three centuries of shared history, upending another successful economic relationship shortly after the now-impending divorce between Britain and the EU. Most voters in Northern Ireland also voted to remain and Irish nationalist leaders there called for a poll on leaving the United Kingdom and uniting with Ireland. Calling a new Scottish vote would not be quick or simple and the SNP, marked by caution since Sturgeon took over as leader, would want to first ensure a new vote could be won. Where the last Scottish independence campaign fell down is considered to be the economic argument; a new Scotland was then projected to stick with its old currency, the pound, and was underpinned by an oil price then over $100 but which is now roughly a half of that level. Sturgeon would have to build a robust economic independence strategy to convince those emotionally persuaded in 2014 but not economically so. She would also have to make sure that the maelstrom around Britain's EU exit does not sweep away some of the support the SNP currently has. There are other big factors hindering a divorce. One may fear that a lightweight EU, without Britain, is a less attractive partner for Scotland, which sends two thirds of its output to the rest of the UK. Another rests on concerns about what a border between England and Scotland would do to both security and the economy. "It could be that in the panic that ensues after a British exit, some people might want to stick with what we still have,” said an SNP lawmaker speaking on condition of anonymity. Polls do not indicate that support for secession has changed much since 2014, but there are several other factors, beyond leaving the EU, which mean that could change. The biggest is Sturgeon herself, a skilled politician, highly rated by both political friends and foes. With approval ratings of 60 percent among Scots according to pollster Yougov, she is a convincing messenger for independence which she told Reuters last week she "desperately" wants. Yet Sturgeon needed to play it cautiously for "good reason," said Anand Menon of think tank UK in a Changing Europe. "Nicola Sturgeon knows that if Scotland is independent and England is out of the EU, you have an external EU border between Scotland and England. An external border means the prospects of terrorists, its means the prospect of different regulations, and trade will be obstructed," Menon said. Many voters remain sceptical but acknowledge the departure of Britain from the EU shone a new light on the issue. "The SNP will have to come back with a better argument for independence in a European context to convince me," said Catherine, a 41-year-old operations manager from Aberdeen. "If they come back with some real proper facts and figures I would think about it. We’re a small country, we definitely don’t want to be on our own." (Reuters)

Divided Kingdom? Scotland says its future lies in the EU

Reacting to Britain&rsquo;s exit from the European Union (EU) on Friday, right-wing Members of Parliament (MP) in France and Netherland have also given a call for referendum.&nbsp; 
 
Hailing Britain&#39;s decision, French far-right leader Marine Le Pen took to micro blogging site to share her views. &quot;Victory for Freedom! As I have been asking for years we must now have the same referendum in France and EU countries,&quot; the National Front (FN) leader tweeted. 
 
The eurosceptic, anti-immigration FN has accused the EU of suffering a &quot;democratic deficit&quot; and has long urged all members of the bloc to follow Britain&#39;s example. 
 
The Brexit vote is likely to fire up eurosceptic populists across the bloc, with Dutch far-right MP Geert Wilders also calling for an EU referendum in his own country following the result. 
 
Fears are high that a domino effect could see other countries following in Britain`s footsteps, threatening the core of the European project. 
 
&quot;France has possibly a thousand more reasons to want to leave the EU than the English,&quot; Le Pen said at a gathering of far-right parties in Vienna last Friday. 
 
Le Pen has accused the EU of pursuing closer integration &quot;against our will&quot;. 
 
She says the union is responsible for high eurozone unemployment and has failed to keep out &quot;smugglers, terrorists (and) economic migrants&quot;. 
 
Dutch far-right MP also calls for NExit&nbsp; 
Shortly after Britain voted for a Brexit, Dutch anti-Islam MP Geert Wilders called for the Netherlands to hold a referendum on whether to leave the EU.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;The Dutch people deserve a referendum as well. The Party for Freedom consequently demands a referendum on NExit, a Dutch EU exit,&quot; Wilders said in a statement. 
 
With 374 out of 382 regional results declared in Britain, there were 16.8 million votes for &quot;Leave&quot; and 15.7 million for &quot;Remain&quot;, making it mathematically impossible for &quot;Remain&quot; to win. 
 
&quot;We want to be in charge of our own country, our own money, our own borders, and our own immigration policy,&quot; Wilders said in a statement.&nbsp;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,&rdquo; he was quoted saying.&nbsp; 
 
The Netherlands, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the EU, held a referendum earlier this year on whether to back closer cooperation between the EU and Ukraine. Turnout was low, but over 60 per cent voted against the deal. 
 
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.&nbsp; 
 
Although it is has slipped back in recent months, the last polls from May showed Wilders&#39; party would win the largest support gaining some 31 seats in the 150-seat party, more than doubling its current 15 seats. 
 
The statement sent by Wilders&#39; PVV said that recent polls showed a majority of Dutch people were in favour of holding a referendum, and that most would vote to leave. 
 
(AFP)&nbsp;

Fears are high that a domino effect could see other countries following in Britain's footsteps, threatening the core of the European project

Reacting to Britain’s exit from the European Union (EU) on Friday, right-wing Members of Parliament (MP) in France and Netherland have also given a call for referendum. Hailing Britain's decision, French far-right leader Marine Le Pen took to micro blogging site to share her views. "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. The eurosceptic, anti-immigration FN has accused the EU of suffering a "democratic deficit" and has long urged all members of the bloc to follow Britain's example. The Brexit vote is likely to fire up eurosceptic populists across the bloc, with Dutch far-right MP Geert Wilders also calling for an EU referendum in his own country following the result. Fears are high that a domino effect could see other countries following in Britain`s footsteps, threatening the core of the European project. "France has possibly a thousand more reasons to want to leave the EU than the English," Le Pen said at a gathering of far-right parties in Vienna last Friday. Le Pen has accused the EU of pursuing closer integration "against our will". She says the union is responsible for high eurozone unemployment and has failed to keep out "smugglers, terrorists (and) economic migrants". Dutch far-right MP also calls for NExit Shortly after Britain voted for a Brexit, Dutch anti-Islam MP Geert Wilders called for the Netherlands to hold a referendum on whether to leave the EU. "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. With 374 out of 382 regional results declared in Britain, there were 16.8 million votes for "Leave" and 15.7 million for "Remain", making it mathematically impossible for "Remain" to win. "We want to 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,” he was quoted saying. The Netherlands, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the EU, held a referendum earlier this year on whether to back closer cooperation between the EU and Ukraine. Turnout was low, but over 60 per cent voted against the deal. 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. Although it is has slipped back in recent months, the last polls from May showed Wilders' party would win the largest support gaining some 31 seats in the 150-seat party, more than doubling its current 15 seats. The statement sent by Wilders' PVV said that recent polls showed a majority of Dutch people were in favour of holding a referendum, and that most would vote to leave. (AFP)

In wake of Brexit, right-wing MPs in France, Netherland call for referendum

As Brexit wins the Britain votes to leave the European Union (EU), Ireland is seemingly anticipating a damaging economic and political fallout. 
 
Britain&rsquo;s nearest neighbour and largest trade partner, Ireland has the EU&rsquo;s fastest-growing economy but also more to lose than any other member state from a `Brexit` with far-reaching implications for its trade, economy, security of energy supplies and peace in British-ruled Northern Ireland.&nbsp; 
 
Downside is definite: Sinn Fein&nbsp; 
Within minutes of the outcome becoming apparent, Northern Ireland`s largest Irish nationalist party, Sinn Fein said the result intensified the case for a vote on whether Northern Ireland should leave the United Kingdom.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;The downside is definite and the upside is speculative,&quot; Noonan told parliament as the United Kingdom voted on Thursday, referring to the potential upside that some companies keen to stay in the EU might move from Britain to Ireland. 
 
Ireland`s central bank had warned that a withdrawal would hurt economic growth and jobs and significantly impact the financial sector, while a government-commissioned report found it could cut trade with Britain by at least 20 percent. 
 
Noonan said earlier this week that an estimated cumulative Brexit-related hit on the Irish economy of as much as 1.6 percent of GDP would be &quot;containable&quot;. 
 
 
Farmers, major UK suppliers more vulnerable 
Irish exporters will be the first to suffer, as the pound weakened significantly against the euro, making their euro-priced goods more expensive. Ireland will have to consider taking steps to assist firms exporting into Britain, Foreign Minister Charlie Flanagan told Reuters on Wednesday.&nbsp; 
 
Farmers and food producers, major UK suppliers, are especially vulnerable. The British Irish Chamber of Commerce said business needed a comprehensive and quickly concluded trade agreement between the EU and the UK that recognised the unique relationship between Ireland and the UK. 
 
&quot;As the voice of businesses with significant employment in the UK and Ireland, the Chamber is concerned about any adverse impact the UK`s decision could have on trade between these Islands,&quot; said John McGrane, Director General of the Chamber. 
 
Reintroduction of a hard border would be considered: Flanagan&nbsp; 
Of most concern to Dublin is the impact on Northern Ireland, which has the only land frontier between the United Kingdom and the rest of the EU. It was marked by military checkpoints until a 1998 peace deal ended three decades of sectarian violence. 
 
Flanagan said the reintroduction of a hard border would have to be considered in any negotiation and that the return of controls, for customs or security, could pose a difficult challenge for the peace process. 
 
The dismantling of military border posts was a key aspect of a 1998 peace deal that ended three decades of violence between Catholic nationalists seeking a united Ireland and Protestant unionists who wanted to keep Northern Ireland British. Over 3,600 died in the conflict. 
 
British finance minister George Osborne has said border controls would be inevitable, while former prime ministers Tony Blair and John Major, who also campaigned for a vote to remain, said a Brexit could undermine peace in the six-county province.Pro-Brexit campaigners, including Britain`s minister for Northern Ireland, described those warnings as &quot;scaremongering&quot; and said a Brexit would not endanger a common travel area that predates both countries` entry into the EU in 1973. 
 
 
&lsquo;This outcome dramatically changes political landscape&rsquo;&nbsp; 
While the United Kingdom as a whole voted by 52 percent to 48 percent in favour of leaving the EU, 56 percent of those in Northern Ireland favoured staying.&nbsp; 
 
Northern Ireland`s nationalist Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said ahead of the vote that Britain should immediately commit to holding a vote to unite Ireland if its citizens chose to leave the EU. 
 
Under the 1998 agreement that brought about peace, Britain`s Secretary of State for Northern Ireland may call such a vote at any time. It also specifies that the Secretary &quot;shall&quot; order a referendum if it appears likely that a majority of those voting would seek to form part of a united Ireland. 
 
Nigel Dodds, a senior member of the province`s largest party, the pro-British Democratic Unionist Party, told Sky News on Thursday that Sinn Fein were on very weak ground calling for a unity vote. 
 
But Sinn Fein chairman Declan Kearney said in a statement:&nbsp; 
 
&quot;This outcome tonight dramatically changes the political landscape here in the north of Ireland and we will be intensifying our case for the calling of a border poll,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp; 
 
He further added saying, &quot;The British government as a direct result have forfeited any mandate to represent the interests of people here in the north of Ireland in circumstances where the north is dragged out of Europe as a result of a vote to leave.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Ireland has the EU`s fastest-growing economy but also more to lose than any other member in view of British exit?

As Brexit wins the Britain votes to leave the European Union (EU), Ireland is seemingly anticipating a damaging economic and political fallout. Britain’s nearest neighbour and largest trade partner, Ireland has the EU’s fastest-growing economy but also more to lose than any other member state from a `Brexit` with far-reaching implications for its trade, economy, security of energy supplies and peace in British-ruled Northern Ireland. Downside is definite: Sinn Fein Within minutes of the outcome becoming apparent, Northern Ireland`s largest Irish nationalist party, Sinn Fein said the result intensified the case for a vote on whether Northern Ireland should leave the United Kingdom. "The downside is definite and the upside is speculative," Noonan told parliament as the United Kingdom voted on Thursday, referring to the potential upside that some companies keen to stay in the EU might move from Britain to Ireland. Ireland`s central bank had warned that a withdrawal would hurt economic growth and jobs and significantly impact the financial sector, while a government-commissioned report found it could cut trade with Britain by at least 20 percent. Noonan said earlier this week that an estimated cumulative Brexit-related hit on the Irish economy of as much as 1.6 percent of GDP would be "containable". Farmers, major UK suppliers more vulnerable Irish exporters will be the first to suffer, as the pound weakened significantly against the euro, making their euro-priced goods more expensive. Ireland will have to consider taking steps to assist firms exporting into Britain, Foreign Minister Charlie Flanagan told Reuters on Wednesday. Farmers and food producers, major UK suppliers, are especially vulnerable. The British Irish Chamber of Commerce said business needed a comprehensive and quickly concluded trade agreement between the EU and the UK that recognised the unique relationship between Ireland and the UK. "As the voice of businesses with significant employment in the UK and Ireland, the Chamber is concerned about any adverse impact the UK`s decision could have on trade between these Islands," said John McGrane, Director General of the Chamber. Reintroduction of a hard border would be considered: Flanagan Of most concern to Dublin is the impact on Northern Ireland, which has the only land frontier between the United Kingdom and the rest of the EU. It was marked by military checkpoints until a 1998 peace deal ended three decades of sectarian violence. Flanagan said the reintroduction of a hard border would have to be considered in any negotiation and that the return of controls, for customs or security, could pose a difficult challenge for the peace process. The dismantling of military border posts was a key aspect of a 1998 peace deal that ended three decades of violence between Catholic nationalists seeking a united Ireland and Protestant unionists who wanted to keep Northern Ireland British. Over 3,600 died in the conflict. British finance minister George Osborne has said border controls would be inevitable, while former prime ministers Tony Blair and John Major, who also campaigned for a vote to remain, said a Brexit could undermine peace in the six-county province.Pro-Brexit campaigners, including Britain`s minister for Northern Ireland, described those warnings as "scaremongering" and said a Brexit would not endanger a common travel area that predates both countries` entry into the EU in 1973. ‘This outcome dramatically changes political landscape’ While the United Kingdom as a whole voted by 52 percent to 48 percent in favour of leaving the EU, 56 percent of those in Northern Ireland favoured staying. Northern Ireland`s nationalist Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said ahead of the vote that Britain should immediately commit to holding a vote to unite Ireland if its citizens chose to leave the EU. Under the 1998 agreement that brought about peace, Britain`s Secretary of State for Northern Ireland may call such a vote at any time. It also specifies that the Secretary "shall" order a referendum if it appears likely that a majority of those voting would seek to form part of a united Ireland. Nigel Dodds, a senior member of the province`s largest party, the pro-British Democratic Unionist Party, told Sky News on Thursday that Sinn Fein were on very weak ground calling for a unity vote. But Sinn Fein chairman Declan Kearney said in a statement: "This outcome tonight dramatically changes the political landscape here in the north of Ireland and we will be intensifying our case for the calling of a border poll,” he said. He further added saying, "The British government as a direct result have forfeited any mandate to represent the interests of people here in the north of Ireland in circumstances where the north is dragged out of Europe as a result of a vote to leave." (Reuters)

Ireland anticipates damaging economic, political fallout after Brexit

Britain&#39;s vote to become the first country to leave the EU, as projected by national media, is a shattering blow that threatens the survival of the post-war European project, officials and analysts said. 
 
The loss of one of its biggest members will at the very least force major changes on an embattled bloc already struggling to deal with growing populism, a migration crisis and economic woes. 
 
In the long-run, &quot;Brexit&quot; may lead to other countries holding referendums, a far looser union, and possibly even the disintegration of a grouping set up 60 years ago to bring security and prosperity after World War II. 
 
EU President Donald Tusk warned in the run-up to the vote that Brexit could lead to the &quot;destruction of not only the EU but also of Western political civilisation.&quot; 
 
With Europe facing a resurgent Russia and the threat of terrorism, Tusk said &quot;our enemies... will open a bottle of champagne if the result of referendum is negative for us.&quot; 
 
In a less doom-laden assessment, European Commission Chief Jean-Claude Juncker said last week that the EU was not &quot;in danger of death&quot; from a Brexit but that it would have to learn lessons. 
 
&#39;Very serious blow&#39; 
Chris Bickerton, a lecturer at Britain&#39;s Cambridge University and author of &quot;The European Union: A Citizen&#39;s Guide&quot;, said it was a &quot;very serious blow&quot; but not terminal, given the &quot;core role&quot; of the EU in much of European political life. 
 
But he added that it would probably drift towards a &quot;looser, ad hoc&quot; union. 
 
&quot;I don&#39;t think it would suddenly disappear but over the longer term, we might see it slowly decline and become something different,&quot; he told AFP. 
 
The next steps for the EU would be difficult, he added. 
 
&quot;We are very much in uncharted territory,&quot; he said. &quot;I don&#39;t think anyone really thought Brexit was really likely, certainly not when they were negotiating with Cameron, otherwise they would have done a very different deal.&quot; 
 
In the immediate aftermath of the British vote, seven years of potentially bitter divorce negotiations between Brussels and London loom. 
 
The remaining EU countries will likely be keen to move ahead. France and Germany, the main EU heavyweights, have already been working on a joint plan for the future. 
 
But with Berlin and Paris at loggerheads over future integration of the eurozone, any plan is likely to be a modest affair that deals only with issues such as security and defence. 
 
Even without Britain in the club, the drift away from &quot;ever closer union&quot; and federalism is likely to increase, with growing talk of a &quot;two-speed Europe&quot; that allows states opt-outs from key rules. 
 
One major step could be making membership of the euro non-compulsory, which would help Poland, which appears to have no intention of joining the single currency but is officially meant to. 
 
Domino effect? 
The main fear in many European capitals is that either way, the result could trigger a domino effect of referendums in other countries. 
 
French far-right leader Marine Le Pen on Tuesday urged all EU states to follow Britain&#39;s example, and eurosceptics in the Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden have made similar calls for referendums. 
 
Vivien Pertusot, Brussels-based analyst with the French Institute of International Relations (IFRI), said the EU was likely to survive but be weakened. 
 
&quot;Institutions rarely die,&quot; he told AFP. &quot;Maybe there will not be disintegration, but a loss of relevance. The EU will lose, bit by bit, its centrality for all the most political projects.&quot; 
 
The danger for the EU is that even after if makes changes following the British referendum, it will still not be able to quell the forces of history tearing it apart. 
 
&quot;The EU is in a negative spiral,&quot; Janis Emmanouilidis, director of studies at Brussels-based think tank European Policy Centre, told AFP. 
 
The question of what could replace the EU if it does collapse is even more vexed. 
 
&quot;It might sound as if yes, this story has ended, a new one has began, but that&#39;s not not easy. Especially after the experience of failure,&quot; said Emmanouilidis. 
 
(AFP)

Britain leaving may lead to the disintegration of a grouping set up 60 years ago to bring security and prosperity after World War II

Britain's vote to become the first country to leave the EU, as projected by national media, is a shattering blow that threatens the survival of the post-war European project, officials and analysts said. The loss of one of its biggest members will at the very least force major changes on an embattled bloc already struggling to deal with growing populism, a migration crisis and economic woes. In the long-run, "Brexit" may lead to other countries holding referendums, a far looser union, and possibly even the disintegration of a grouping set up 60 years ago to bring security and prosperity after World War II. EU President Donald Tusk warned in the run-up to the vote that Brexit could lead to the "destruction of not only the EU but also of Western political civilisation." With Europe facing a resurgent Russia and the threat of terrorism, Tusk said "our enemies... will open a bottle of champagne if the result of referendum is negative for us." In a less doom-laden assessment, European Commission Chief Jean-Claude Juncker said last week that the EU was not "in danger of death" from a Brexit but that it would have to learn lessons. 'Very serious blow' Chris Bickerton, a lecturer at Britain's Cambridge University and author of "The European Union: A Citizen's Guide", said it was a "very serious blow" but not terminal, given the "core role" of the EU in much of European political life. But he added that it would probably drift towards a "looser, ad hoc" union. "I don't think it would suddenly disappear but over the longer term, we might see it slowly decline and become something different," he told AFP. The next steps for the EU would be difficult, he added. "We are very much in uncharted territory," he said. "I don't think anyone really thought Brexit was really likely, certainly not when they were negotiating with Cameron, otherwise they would have done a very different deal." In the immediate aftermath of the British vote, seven years of potentially bitter divorce negotiations between Brussels and London loom. The remaining EU countries will likely be keen to move ahead. France and Germany, the main EU heavyweights, have already been working on a joint plan for the future. But with Berlin and Paris at loggerheads over future integration of the eurozone, any plan is likely to be a modest affair that deals only with issues such as security and defence. Even without Britain in the club, the drift away from "ever closer union" and federalism is likely to increase, with growing talk of a "two-speed Europe" that allows states opt-outs from key rules. One major step could be making membership of the euro non-compulsory, which would help Poland, which appears to have no intention of joining the single currency but is officially meant to. Domino effect? The main fear in many European capitals is that either way, the result could trigger a domino effect of referendums in other countries. French far-right leader Marine Le Pen on Tuesday urged all EU states to follow Britain's example, and eurosceptics in the Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden have made similar calls for referendums. Vivien Pertusot, Brussels-based analyst with the French Institute of International Relations (IFRI), said the EU was likely to survive but be weakened. "Institutions rarely die," he told AFP. "Maybe there will not be disintegration, but a loss of relevance. The EU will lose, bit by bit, its centrality for all the most political projects." The danger for the EU is that even after if makes changes following the British referendum, it will still not be able to quell the forces of history tearing it apart. "The EU is in a negative spiral," Janis Emmanouilidis, director of studies at Brussels-based think tank European Policy Centre, told AFP. The question of what could replace the EU if it does collapse is even more vexed. "It might sound as if yes, this story has ended, a new one has began, but that's not not easy. Especially after the experience of failure," said Emmanouilidis. (AFP)

With Britain gone, can the EU survive?

The UK referendum results and possibility of Brexit has caught the world attention and back at home, head of the anti-European Union (EU) UK Independence Party (UKIP) is probably not too pleased with the early results hinting that country may remain with 28-member bloc. 
 
Britain may have voted to remain in the European Union at the membership referendum but the bloc is doomed regardless, Nigel Farage Thursday said. He also opined that Britain had voted to remain in the EU, possibly because of an extension of a deadline for people to register to vote. 
 
It may be recalled that the voter registration period for June 23 referendum was extended by 48 hours earlier this month, after a late surge in applications crashed a key website shortly before an original deadline. 
 
&quot;The eurosceptic genie is out of the bottle, and it will now not be put back,&quot; he told supporters, in comments carried on local television. 
 
&quot;If we do stay part of this union it is doomed, it is finished anyway. If we fail tonight it will not be us that knocks out the first brick from the wall, it will be someone else.&quot; 
 
&quot;I hope and pray that my sense of this tonight is wrong,&quot; Farage said.&nbsp; 
 
He repeated his forecast that Remain would narrowly win even after official results which showed a better-than-expected performance for Leave in two northern cities, Sunderland and Newcastle, that nudged his camp just ahead of the Remain camp with five out of 382 areas declared. 
 
&quot;My sense of this is that the government&#39;s registration scheme, getting 2 million voters, the 48-hour extension, may be what tips the balance,&quot; he commented.&nbsp; 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

'If we fail tonight it will not be us that knocks out the first brick from the wall, it will be someone else,' he said

The UK referendum results and possibility of Brexit has caught the world attention and back at home, head of the anti-European Union (EU) UK Independence Party (UKIP) is probably not too pleased with the early results hinting that country may remain with 28-member bloc. Britain may have voted to remain in the European Union at the membership referendum but the bloc is doomed regardless, Nigel Farage Thursday said. He also opined that Britain had voted to remain in the EU, possibly because of an extension of a deadline for people to register to vote. It may be recalled that the voter registration period for June 23 referendum was extended by 48 hours earlier this month, after a late surge in applications crashed a key website shortly before an original deadline. "The eurosceptic genie is out of the bottle, and it will now not be put back," he told supporters, in comments carried on local television. "If we do stay part of this union it is doomed, it is finished anyway. If we fail tonight it will not be us that knocks out the first brick from the wall, it will be someone else." "I hope and pray that my sense of this tonight is wrong," Farage said. He repeated his forecast that Remain would narrowly win even after official results which showed a better-than-expected performance for Leave in two northern cities, Sunderland and Newcastle, that nudged his camp just ahead of the Remain camp with five out of 382 areas declared. "My sense of this is that the government's registration scheme, getting 2 million voters, the 48-hour extension, may be what tips the balance," he commented. (Reuters)

Britain may Remain but EU doomed anyway: UKIP chief

Britain has voted to leave the European Union, forcing the resignation of Prime Minister David Cameron and dealing the biggest blow to the European project of greater unity since World War Two.

Global financial markets plunged on Friday as results from a referendum showed a near 52-48 percent split for leaving a bloc it joined more than 40 years ago.

The pound fell as much as 10 percent against the dollar to levels last seen in 1985, on fears the decision could hit investment in the world&#39;s fifth-largest economy, threaten London&#39;s role as a global financial capital and usher in months of political uncertainty.

World stocks headed for one of the biggest slumps on record, and billions of dollars were wiped off the value of European companies. Britain&#39;s big banks took a $130 billion battering, with Lloyds and Barclays falling as much as 30 percent.

An emotional Cameron, who led the &quot;Remain&quot; campaign to defeat, losing the gamble he took when he called the referendum three years ago, said he would leave office by October.

&quot;The British people have made the very clear decision to take a different path and as such I think the country requires fresh leadership to take it in this direction,&quot; he said in a televised address outside his Downing Street office.

&quot;I do not think it would be right for me to be the captain that steers our country to its next destination.&quot;
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/UK%20and%20the%20EU_A%20rocky%20relationship_timeline-20160624101010.jpg" />
 
Quitting the EU could cost Britain access to the EU&#39;s trade barrier-free single market and mean it must seek new trade accords with countries around the world. The United Kingdom itself could break apart, with politicians in Scotland - where nearly two-thirds of voters wanted to stay in the EU - calling for a new vote on independence. 
 
The EU for its part will be economically and politically damaged, facing the departure not only of its most free-market proponent but also a member with a UN&nbsp;Security Council veto, a powerful army and nuclear capability. In one go, the bloc will lose around a sixth of its economic output.

The result emboldened eurosceptics in other member states with populist leaders in France and the Netherlands demanding their own referendums to leave.

The vote will initiate at least two years of divorce proceedings with the EU, the first exit by any member state. Cameron - who has been premier for six years and called the referendum in a bid to head off pressure from domestic eurosceptics, including within his own party - said it would be up to his successor to formally start the exit process.

His Conservative Party rival Boris Johnson, the former London mayor who became the most recognisable face of the &quot;leave&quot; camp, is now widely tipped to seek his job. Johnson made no comment as he left his home to jeers from a crowd in the mainly pro-EU capital. 
 
&nbsp;

<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/How%20the%20old%20and%20the%20young%20of%20Britain%20voted%20(1)-20160624022607.jpg" /> 
 
 
&#39;Independence Day&#39; 
There was euphoria among Britain&#39;s eurosceptic forces, claiming a victory over the political establishment, big business and foreign leaders including U.S. President Barack Obama who had urged Britain to stay in.

&quot;Dare to dream that the dawn is breaking on an independent United Kingdom,&quot; said Nigel Farage, leader of the eurosceptic UK Independence Party, describing the EU as &quot;doomed&quot; and &quot;dying&quot;.

&quot;This will be a victory for real people, a victory for ordinary people, a victory for decent people ... Let June 23 go down in our history as our independence day.&quot;

European politicians reacted with dismay.

&quot;The news from Britain is really sobering. It looks like a sad day for Europe and Britain,&quot; said German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

&quot;Please tell me I&#39;m still sleeping and this is all just a bad nightmare!&quot; former Finnish Prime Minister Alexander Stubb tweeted.

The shock hits a European bloc already reeling from a euro zone debt crisis, unprecedented mass migration and confrontation with Russia over Ukraine. Anti-immigrant and anti-EU political parties have been surging across the continent, placing unprecedented pressure on the centre-left and centre-right establishment that has governed Europe for generations.

French National Front leader Marine Le Pen called for a similar referendum in France, changed her Twitter profile to a Union Jack and declared &quot;Victory for freedom!&quot;

Dutch far right leader Geert Wilders, also demanding a referendum, said: &ldquo;We want be in charge of our own country, our own money, our own borders, and our own immigration policy.&quot;

U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump, whose rise has been fuelled by disenchantment with the political establishment in the United States that has parallels with populism in Europe, declared that Britons &quot;took back control of their country&quot;. He was in Scotland opening a golf club.

Britain has always been ambivalent about its relations with the rest of post-war Europe. A&nbsp;firm supporter of free trade, tearing down internal economic barriers and expanding the EU to take in ex-communist eastern states, it opted out of joining the euro single currency or the Schengen border-free zone.

Cameron&#39;s ruling Conservatives in particular have harboured an anti-EU wing for generations, and it was partly to silence such figures that he called the referendum in 2013.

World leaders including Obama, Chinese President Xi Jinping, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, NATO and Commonwealth governments had all urged a &quot;Remain&quot; vote, saying Britain would be stronger and more influential in the EU than outside.

The four-month campaign was among the divisive ever waged in Britain, with accusations of lying and scare-mongering on both sides and rows on immigration which critics said at times unleashed overt racism.

It also revealed deeper splits in British society, with the pro-Brexit side drawing support from millions of voters who felt left behind by globalisation and believed they saw no benefits from Britain&#39;s ethnic diversity and free-market economy.

At the darkest moment, a pro-EU member of parliament was stabbed and shot to death in the street by an attacker who later told a court his name was &quot;Death to traitors, freedom for Britain&quot;.

Older voters backed Brexit; the young mainly wanted to stay in. London and Scotland supported the EU, but wide swathes of middle England, which have not shared in the capital&#39;s prosperity, voted to leave.

Concerns over uncontrolled immigration, loss of sovereignty and remote rule from Brussels appear to have trumped almost unanimous warnings of the economic perils of going it alone.

 
Threat of UK break-up 
The United Kingdom itself now faces a threat to its survival; Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said Thursday&#39;s vote &quot;makes clear that the people of Scotland see their future as part of the European Union.&quot;
<a name="UKTimeline"> </a>

<a name="UKTimeline">Her predecessor, Alex Salmond, said Scotland was now likely to push for a second independence referendum. It voted against seceding in 2014. Northern Ireland&#39;s largest Irish nationalist party, Sinn Fein, said the result intensified the case for a vote on whether to quit the United Kingdom.</a>
<a name="UKTimeline"> </a>

<a name="UKTimeline">The global financial turmoil was the worst shock since the 2008 economic crisis, and comes at a time when interest rates around the world are already at or near zero, leaving policymakers without the usual tools to respond.</a>
<a name="UKTimeline"> </a>

<a name="UKTimeline">The body blow to global confidence could prevent the Federal Reserve from raising interest rates as planned this year, and might even provoke a new round of emergency policy easing from all major central banks, despite their limited options.</a>
<a name="UKTimeline"> </a>

<a name="UKTimeline">The Bank of England said it would take all necessary steps to secure monetary and financial stability. Japanese Finance Minister Taro Aso promising to &quot;respond as needed&quot; in the currency market.</a>
<a name="UKTimeline"> </a>

<a name="UKTimeline">EU affairs ministers and ambassadors from member states gather in Luxembourg by 10 am&nbsp;(0800 GMT) for previously-scheduled talks that will provide the first chance for many to react.</a>
<a name="UKTimeline"> </a>

<a name="UKTimeline">Left unclear is the relationship Britain can negotiate with the EU once it leaves.</a>
<a name="UKTimeline"> </a>

<a name="UKTimeline">To retain access to the single market, vital for its giant financial services sector, London may have to adopt all EU regulation without having a say in its shaping, contribute to Brussels coffers, and continue to allow free movement as Norway and Switzerland do - all things the Leave campaign vowed to end.</a>
<a name="UKTimeline"> </a>

<a name="UKTimeline">EU officials have said UK-based banks and financial firms would lose automatic &quot;passport&quot; access to sell services across Europe if Britain ceased to apply the EU principles of free movement of goods, capital, services and people.</a>
<a name="UKTimeline"> </a>

<a name="UKTimeline">Aside from trade, huge questions now face the millions of British expatriates who live freely elsewhere in the bloc and enjoy equal access to health and other benefits, as well as millions of EU citizens who live and work in Britain.&nbsp; 
 
(Reuters)</a>
<a name="UKTimeline"> </a>

The UK votes 52 to 48 per cent to leave the European Union and Cameron says he will go by October

Britain has voted to leave the European Union, forcing the resignation of Prime Minister David Cameron and dealing the biggest blow to the European project of greater unity since World War Two. Global financial markets plunged on Friday as results from a referendum showed a near 52-48 percent split for leaving a bloc it joined more than 40 years ago. The pound fell as much as 10 percent against the dollar to levels last seen in 1985, on fears the decision could hit investment in the world's fifth-largest economy, threaten London's role as a global financial capital and usher in months of political uncertainty. World stocks headed for one of the biggest slumps on record, and billions of dollars were wiped off the value of European companies. Britain's big banks took a $130 billion battering, with Lloyds and Barclays falling as much as 30 percent. An emotional Cameron, who led the "Remain" campaign to defeat, losing the gamble he took when he called the referendum three years ago, said he would leave office by October. "The British people have made the very clear decision to take a different path and as such I think the country requires fresh leadership to take it in this direction," he said in a televised address outside his Downing Street office. "I do not think it would be right for me to be the captain that steers our country to its next destination." Quitting the EU could cost Britain access to the EU's trade barrier-free single market and mean it must seek new trade accords with countries around the world. The United Kingdom itself could break apart, with politicians in Scotland - where nearly two-thirds of voters wanted to stay in the EU - calling for a new vote on independence. The EU for its part will be economically and politically damaged, facing the departure not only of its most free-market proponent but also a member with a UN Security Council veto, a powerful army and nuclear capability. In one go, the bloc will lose around a sixth of its economic output. The result emboldened eurosceptics in other member states with populist leaders in France and the Netherlands demanding their own referendums to leave. The vote will initiate at least two years of divorce proceedings with the EU, the first exit by any member state. Cameron - who has been premier for six years and called the referendum in a bid to head off pressure from domestic eurosceptics, including within his own party - said it would be up to his successor to formally start the exit process. His Conservative Party rival Boris Johnson, the former London mayor who became the most recognisable face of the "leave" camp, is now widely tipped to seek his job. Johnson made no comment as he left his home to jeers from a crowd in the mainly pro-EU capital. 'Independence Day' There was euphoria among Britain's eurosceptic forces, claiming a victory over the political establishment, big business and foreign leaders including U.S. President Barack Obama who had urged Britain to stay in. "Dare to dream that the dawn is breaking on an independent United Kingdom," said Nigel Farage, leader of the eurosceptic UK Independence Party, describing the EU as "doomed" and "dying". "This will be a victory for real people, a victory for ordinary people, a victory for decent people ... Let June 23 go down in our history as our independence day." European politicians reacted with dismay. "The news from Britain is really sobering. It looks like a sad day for Europe and Britain," said German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier. "Please tell me I'm still sleeping and this is all just a bad nightmare!" former Finnish Prime Minister Alexander Stubb tweeted. The shock hits a European bloc already reeling from a euro zone debt crisis, unprecedented mass migration and confrontation with Russia over Ukraine. Anti-immigrant and anti-EU political parties have been surging across the continent, placing unprecedented pressure on the centre-left and centre-right establishment that has governed Europe for generations. French National Front leader Marine Le Pen called for a similar referendum in France, changed her Twitter profile to a Union Jack and declared "Victory for freedom!" Dutch far right leader Geert Wilders, also demanding a referendum, said: “We want be in charge of our own country, our own money, our own borders, and our own immigration policy." U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump, whose rise has been fuelled by disenchantment with the political establishment in the United States that has parallels with populism in Europe, declared that Britons "took back control of their country". He was in Scotland opening a golf club. Britain has always been ambivalent about its relations with the rest of post-war Europe. A firm supporter of free trade, tearing down internal economic barriers and expanding the EU to take in ex-communist eastern states, it opted out of joining the euro single currency or the Schengen border-free zone. Cameron's ruling Conservatives in particular have harboured an anti-EU wing for generations, and it was partly to silence such figures that he called the referendum in 2013. World leaders including Obama, Chinese President Xi Jinping, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, NATO and Commonwealth governments had all urged a "Remain" vote, saying Britain would be stronger and more influential in the EU than outside. The four-month campaign was among the divisive ever waged in Britain, with accusations of lying and scare-mongering on both sides and rows on immigration which critics said at times unleashed overt racism. It also revealed deeper splits in British society, with the pro-Brexit side drawing support from millions of voters who felt left behind by globalisation and believed they saw no benefits from Britain's ethnic diversity and free-market economy. At the darkest moment, a pro-EU member of parliament was stabbed and shot to death in the street by an attacker who later told a court his name was "Death to traitors, freedom for Britain". Older voters backed Brexit; the young mainly wanted to stay in. London and Scotland supported the EU, but wide swathes of middle England, which have not shared in the capital's prosperity, voted to leave. Concerns over uncontrolled immigration, loss of sovereignty and remote rule from Brussels appear to have trumped almost unanimous warnings of the economic perils of going it alone. Threat of UK break-up The United Kingdom itself now faces a threat to its survival; Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said Thursday's vote "makes clear that the people of Scotland see their future as part of the European Union." Her predecessor, Alex Salmond, said Scotland was now likely to push for a second independence referendum. It voted against seceding in 2014. Northern Ireland's largest Irish nationalist party, Sinn Fein, said the result intensified the case for a vote on whether to quit the United Kingdom. The global financial turmoil was the worst shock since the 2008 economic crisis, and comes at a time when interest rates around the world are already at or near zero, leaving policymakers without the usual tools to respond. The body blow to global confidence could prevent the Federal Reserve from raising interest rates as planned this year, and might even provoke a new round of emergency policy easing from all major central banks, despite their limited options. The Bank of England said it would take all necessary steps to secure monetary and financial stability. Japanese Finance Minister Taro Aso promising to "respond as needed" in the currency market. EU affairs ministers and ambassadors from member states gather in Luxembourg by 10 am (0800 GMT) for previously-scheduled talks that will provide the first chance for many to react. Left unclear is the relationship Britain can negotiate with the EU once it leaves. To retain access to the single market, vital for its giant financial services sector, London may have to adopt all EU regulation without having a say in its shaping, contribute to Brussels coffers, and continue to allow free movement as Norway and Switzerland do - all things the Leave campaign vowed to end. EU officials have said UK-based banks and financial firms would lose automatic "passport" access to sell services across Europe if Britain ceased to apply the EU principles of free movement of goods, capital, services and people. Aside from trade, huge questions now face the millions of British expatriates who live freely elsewhere in the bloc and enjoy equal access to health and other benefits, as well as millions of EU citizens who live and work in Britain. (Reuters)

Britain leaves and Cameron follows

Amid fears that the eurosceptic Scandinavian country could lose a key ally in Brussels, a Danish daily Berlingske Thursday published an English-language editorial imploring Britain to &quot;please stay&quot; in the EU. 
 
&quot;As a nation, we in Denmark understand your scepticism about the EU, perhaps better than any other country. Three times we voted no -- in 1992, 2000 and 2015 -- but never out,&quot; the right-wing daily wrote. 
 
&quot;Let us stay and fight for pragmatic, better and more sustainable European solutions,&quot; it said, adding that Britain&#39;s voice was needed in the EU to &quot;fight for free trade and (for) breaking down regulation and bureaucracy.&quot; 
 
A cartoon on the paper&#39;s front page showed a door marked with an EU flag slamming shut on a half naked man with a bowler hat and an umbrella, tearing off his Union Jack suit as it closed behind him. 
 
An English translation of the editorial, headlined &quot;Please Stay&quot;, was published on Berlingske&#39;s website. 
 
Reading between the lines 
Pertinently, Denmark has been a reluctant member of the EU since joining in 1973, rejecting the Maastricht Treaty in a 1992 referendum and only saying &quot;yes&quot; the following year after being granted opt-out clauses on the euro, defence, and justice and home affairs. 
 
Danish voters also rejected joining the euro in 2000, and proposals to lift some of the country&#39;s exemptions on EU justice rules were turned down in a referendum in December last year. 
 
Like his British counterpart David Cameron, Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen wants to curb European migrants&#39; access to child benefits, but with exports accounting for just over half of the country&#39;s economic output there are few politicians who back leaving the bloc completely.&nbsp; 
 
The eurosceptic Danish People&#39;s Party, one of the government&#39;s main allies in parliament, wants Denmark to obtain further EU opt-outs in case of a Brexit, as it believes Britain would then obtain a &quot;hybrid&quot; agreement with the bloc rather than leave completely. 
 
(AFP)&nbsp; 
 
 
 
&nbsp;

'Let us stay and fight for pragmatic, better and more sustainable European solutions,' says Berlingske's editorial in English

Amid fears that the eurosceptic Scandinavian country could lose a key ally in Brussels, a Danish daily Berlingske Thursday published an English-language editorial imploring Britain to "please stay" in the EU. "As a nation, we in Denmark understand your scepticism about the EU, perhaps better than any other country. Three times we voted no -- in 1992, 2000 and 2015 -- but never out," the right-wing daily wrote. "Let us stay and fight for pragmatic, better and more sustainable European solutions," it said, adding that Britain's voice was needed in the EU to "fight for free trade and (for) breaking down regulation and bureaucracy." A cartoon on the paper's front page showed a door marked with an EU flag slamming shut on a half naked man with a bowler hat and an umbrella, tearing off his Union Jack suit as it closed behind him. An English translation of the editorial, headlined "Please Stay", was published on Berlingske's website. Reading between the lines Pertinently, Denmark has been a reluctant member of the EU since joining in 1973, rejecting the Maastricht Treaty in a 1992 referendum and only saying "yes" the following year after being granted opt-out clauses on the euro, defence, and justice and home affairs. Danish voters also rejected joining the euro in 2000, and proposals to lift some of the country's exemptions on EU justice rules were turned down in a referendum in December last year. Like his British counterpart David Cameron, Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen wants to curb European migrants' access to child benefits, but with exports accounting for just over half of the country's economic output there are few politicians who back leaving the bloc completely. The eurosceptic Danish People's Party, one of the government's main allies in parliament, wants Denmark to obtain further EU opt-outs in case of a Brexit, as it believes Britain would then obtain a "hybrid" agreement with the bloc rather than leave completely. (AFP)

Danish daily urges Britain to 'remain'

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