Written by Econintersect
Econintersect: The first results are in and the vote for the UK to leave the EU is ahead. Districts where Labour is strong are coming in decisively for “leave” while early Conservative districts are very nearly even. For the vote totals as of 9:50pm EDT, click through the Read more << jump.
Here are the latest totals from Google:
Here are some excerpts from various sources:
The pound has now set a record intra-day swing of 6.72 per cent between its high and low points, while FTSE 100 futures have slumped 6 per cent. Sterling now down 5.5 per cent at $1.4099 after a recent low of $1.4040.
Just over a week ago, the pound approached $1.40 to the dollar and then surged, peaking at $1.5018 after early polls when voting closed. During the post Bretton Woods era of floating currencies, the pound has rarely spent time below $1.40 aside from the mid-1980’s era of extreme US dollar strength.
The expected huge turnout in the EU referendum could break break the record for the most votes ever cast for a single UK political event.
Gibraltar, which was the first area to announce the number of people who voted, reported turnout of a huge 84 per cent. In total, 20,174 people voted on The Rock.
In Sunderland the turnout was 64.9 percent – up from the 56.1 per cent that voted in last year’s general election. Overall, turnout was more than 70 per cent in the early set of results.
Matthew Elliott, the Chief Executive of the Vote Leave Campaign Committee said they were, “cautiously optimistic.”
“We didn’t agree with those people who said remain had walked it,” he said, but added that they weren’t calling it and many votes were yet to be counted.
Pro-Brexit campaigners said they were encouraged by the results in Newcastle, where Remain won by a smaller margin than some had expected.
Two more Belfast constituencies have followed the west of the city in voting for remain. North and South Belfast backed an in vote, with the latter having a significant majority for Remain.
