Tears, fears and a resignation as Britain exits EU

Published June 24, 2016
A neon sign for the 2016 referendum is attached to the doors of the announcement hall in Manchester Town Hall. ─ AFP
A neon sign for the 2016 referendum is attached to the doors of the announcement hall in Manchester Town Hall. ─ AFP
An illuminated "In or Out" sign is pictured outside a house in Hangleton near Brighton in southern England, on June 23, 2016. ─ AFP
An illuminated "In or Out" sign is pictured outside a house in Hangleton near Brighton in southern England, on June 23, 2016. ─ AFP
Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron speaks after Britain voted to leave the European Union, outside Number 10 Downing Street as his wife Samantha looks on in London, Britain June 24, 2016. ─ Reuters
Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron speaks after Britain voted to leave the European Union, outside Number 10 Downing Street as his wife Samantha looks on in London, Britain June 24, 2016. ─ Reuters
Supporters of the Stronger In Campaign gather to wait for the result of the EU referendum at a results party at the Royal Festival Hall in London on June 23, 2016. ─ AFP
Supporters of the Stronger In Campaign gather to wait for the result of the EU referendum at a results party at the Royal Festival Hall in London on June 23, 2016. ─ AFP
A man looks at his computer screen showing the Brexit live poll and realtime GBP/HKD rates on during a live broadcast of the Brexit vote results in Hong Kong on June 24, 2016. ─ AFP
A man looks at his computer screen showing the Brexit live poll and realtime GBP/HKD rates on during a live broadcast of the Brexit vote results in Hong Kong on June 24, 2016. ─ AFP
Traders from BGC, a global brokerage company in London's Canary Wharf financial centre react as European stock markets open early June 24, 2016 after Britain voted to leave the European Union. ─ Reuters
Traders from BGC, a global brokerage company in London's Canary Wharf financial centre react as European stock markets open early June 24, 2016 after Britain voted to leave the European Union. ─ Reuters
Staff count ballot papers at the Glasgow count centre at the Emirates Arena, Glasgow, Scotland, on June 23, 2016 after polls closed in the referendum. ─ AFP
Staff count ballot papers at the Glasgow count centre at the Emirates Arena, Glasgow, Scotland, on June 23, 2016 after polls closed in the referendum. ─ AFP
Members of the press wait outside Downing street in central London on June 23, 2016. ─ AFP
Members of the press wait outside Downing street in central London on June 23, 2016. ─ AFP
Count staff check and verify ballot papers at the Glasgow count centre at the Emirates Arena, Glasgow, Scotland. ─ AFP
Count staff check and verify ballot papers at the Glasgow count centre at the Emirates Arena, Glasgow, Scotland. ─ AFP
Former London Mayor and Vote Leave campaigner Boris Johnson (L) and his wife Marina Wheeler pose for the media outside a polling station in north London on June 23, 2016, as he casts his vote in a national referendum on whether to remain in, or to leave the European Union (EU). ─ AFP
Former London Mayor and Vote Leave campaigner Boris Johnson (L) and his wife Marina Wheeler pose for the media outside a polling station in north London on June 23, 2016, as he casts his vote in a national referendum on whether to remain in, or to leave the European Union (EU). ─ AFP
A Scottish bagpiper plays outside the house of former London Mayor and Vote Leave campaigner Boris Johnson in London on June 24, 2016. ─ AFP
A Scottish bagpiper plays outside the house of former London Mayor and Vote Leave campaigner Boris Johnson in London on June 24, 2016. ─ AFP
Vote counting staff sort ballot papers at a vote counting centre at The Royal Horticultural Halls in central London on June 23, 2016. ─ AFP
Vote counting staff sort ballot papers at a vote counting centre at The Royal Horticultural Halls in central London on June 23, 2016. ─ AFP
Jenny Watson, Chairperson of the United Kingdom Electoral Commission announces the overall outcome of the EU referendum at the Manchester Town Hall. ─ AFP
Jenny Watson, Chairperson of the United Kingdom Electoral Commission announces the overall outcome of the EU referendum at the Manchester Town Hall. ─ AFP
Conservative MP, Nigel Evans (R) and fellow pro-Leave campaigners cheer as results swing in their favour at the Manchester Town Hall. ─ AFP
Conservative MP, Nigel Evans (R) and fellow pro-Leave campaigners cheer as results swing in their favour at the Manchester Town Hall. ─ AFP
Leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP), Nigel Farage reacts at the Leave.EU referendum party at Millbank Tower in central London on June 24, 2016. ─ AFP
Leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP), Nigel Farage reacts at the Leave.EU referendum party at Millbank Tower in central London on June 24, 2016. ─ AFP
Supporters of the 'Stronger In' Campaign react as results of the EU referendum are announced at a results party at the Royal Festival Hall in London. ─ AFP
Supporters of the 'Stronger In' Campaign react as results of the EU referendum are announced at a results party at the Royal Festival Hall in London. ─ AFP
Supporters of the 'Stronger In' Campaign react as results of the EU referendum are announced at a results party at the Royal Festival Hall in London early in the morning of June 24, 2016. ─ AFP
Supporters of the 'Stronger In' Campaign react as results of the EU referendum are announced at a results party at the Royal Festival Hall in London early in the morning of June 24, 2016. ─ AFP
Leave.EU supporters wave Union flags and cheer as the results come in at the Leave.EU referendum party at Millbank Tower in central London. ─ AFP
Leave.EU supporters wave Union flags and cheer as the results come in at the Leave.EU referendum party at Millbank Tower in central London. ─ AFP
Supporters of the 'Stronger In' Campaign watch the results of the EU referendum being announced at a results party at the Royal Festival Hall in London on June 24, 2016. ─ AFP
Supporters of the 'Stronger In' Campaign watch the results of the EU referendum being announced at a results party at the Royal Festival Hall in London on June 24, 2016. ─ AFP
Supporters of the 'Stronger In' Campaign react as results of the EU referendum are announced at a results party at the Royal Festival Hall in London early in the morning of June 24, 2016. ─ AFP
Supporters of the 'Stronger In' Campaign react as results of the EU referendum are announced at a results party at the Royal Festival Hall in London early in the morning of June 24, 2016. ─ AFP
Pro-Leave campaigners watch TV screens as results begin to come in at the Manchester Central Convention Complex where the EU referendum vote count is taking place in Manchester. ─ AFP
Pro-Leave campaigners watch TV screens as results begin to come in at the Manchester Central Convention Complex where the EU referendum vote count is taking place in Manchester. ─ AFP
Supporters of the 'Stronger In' Campaign watch the results of the EU referendum being announced at a results party at the Royal Festival Hall in London on June 24, 2016. ─ AFP
Supporters of the 'Stronger In' Campaign watch the results of the EU referendum being announced at a results party at the Royal Festival Hall in London on June 24, 2016. ─ AFP
Supporters of the 'Stronger In' Campaign react as results of the EU referendum are announced at a results party at the Royal Festival Hall. ─ AFP
Supporters of the 'Stronger In' Campaign react as results of the EU referendum are announced at a results party at the Royal Festival Hall. ─ AFP
Supporters of the Stronger In Campaign watch the results of the EU referendum being announced at the Royal Festival Hall on June 24, 2016 in London. ─ AFP
Supporters of the Stronger In Campaign watch the results of the EU referendum being announced at the Royal Festival Hall on June 24, 2016 in London. ─ AFP
A trader from BGC Partners, a global brokerage company in London's Canary Wharf financial centre waits for European stock markets to open early June 24, 2016 after Britain voted to leave the European Union. ─ Reuters
A trader from BGC Partners, a global brokerage company in London's Canary Wharf financial centre waits for European stock markets to open early June 24, 2016 after Britain voted to leave the European Union. ─ Reuters
A photographer takes pictures of traders before the opening of the German stock exchange in front of the empty DAX board, at the stock exchange in Frankfurt, Germany, June 24, 2016. ─ Reuters
A photographer takes pictures of traders before the opening of the German stock exchange in front of the empty DAX board, at the stock exchange in Frankfurt, Germany, June 24, 2016. ─ Reuters

Over 52 per cent of Britons voted on June 23 to leave the European Union.

British Prime Minister David Cameron, who had campaigned against the Brexit, announced his resignation on Friday following the 'Leave' vote even as he promised to try to "steady the ship" before he formally steps down in October.

Following the vote, the Pound sterling crashed to a 31-year low as the KSE-100 index fell 2 per cent on the back of volatility in international currency markets.

The UK now has two years to negotiate terms of exit from the bloc.

Opinion

Editorial

Punishing evaders
02 May, 2024

Punishing evaders

THE FBR’s decision to block mobile phone connections of more than half a million individuals who did not file...
Engaging Riyadh
Updated 02 May, 2024

Engaging Riyadh

It must be stressed that to pull in maximum foreign investment, a climate of domestic political stability is crucial.
Freedom to question
02 May, 2024

Freedom to question

WITH frequently suspended freedoms, increasing violence and few to speak out for the oppressed, it is unlikely that...
Wheat protests
Updated 01 May, 2024

Wheat protests

The government should withdraw from the wheat trade gradually, replacing the existing market support mechanism with an effective new one over the next several years.
Polio drive
01 May, 2024

Polio drive

THE year’s fourth polio drive has kicked off across Pakistan, with the aim to immunise more than 24m children ...
Workers’ struggle
Updated 01 May, 2024

Workers’ struggle

Yet the struggle to secure a living wage — and decent working conditions — for the toiling masses must continue.