UK backs Brexit: Timeline of a historic night as Britain votes to leave the EU

A HISTORIC day in the United Kingdom’s history was rubber-stamped at 6.01am on Friday when it was confirmed that the public had voted to leave the European Union.

Here we take a look at a timeline of events of a night which will have far-reaching effects, not just for the UK, but also Europe and the rest of the world, not to mention Prime Minister David Cameron.

A light over the door of 10 Downing Street — (Daniel Leal-Olivas/PA)

10pm – Polls closed across the United Kingdom and a YouGov poll suggested Remain was at 52% and Leave on 48%.

10.15pm – Shortly after the polls closed, Ukip leader and frontline Leave campaigner Nigel Farage revealed he suspected that the Remain vote would win saying that they “would edge it”.

UKIP Leader Nigel Farage — (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

10.28pm – A letter signed by 84 MPs, two thirds of whom openly backed Vote Leave, was delivered to Downing Street, urging Cameron to stay on whichever way the result goes.

11.35pm – The first result of the vote was declared from Gibraltar where an expected landslide win for the Remain vote of 96% was announced.

Gibraltar announces before Sunderland. A rock beats a hard place.

— Peter Smith (@Redpeter99) June 23, 2016

823 heroes

— Vote Leave Media (@Vote_LeaveMedia) June 23, 2016

11.39pm – Farage backtracks from his earlier comments and suggests that the Leave campaign might yet win, although he is not wholly convincing.

Win or lose tonight, the landscape of British politics has changed https://t.co/FfRC3Yr70F

— UKIP (@UKIP) June 23, 2016

11.59pm – Newcastle-upon-Tyne was second to announce with a slight win for the Remain campaign by 1,806 votes from a total of 129,072. It was an expected win in Newcastle, but not by the margin many suspected, and shortly afterwards the odds of Leave winning the vote was slashed by bookmakers.

BREAKING: LEAVE now into 5/2 from 9/1 after Newcastle declare votes… https://t.co/ZBc74ulSWc #EURef pic.twitter.com/bZLeyKM5C5

— Ladbrokes Politics (@LadPolitics) June 23, 2016

12.15am –The first major sign that the Vote Leave campaign was set to win came with the result from Sunderland. Leave was expected to get the nod in the North East region – however, a 61.3% majority was larger than forecast and pushed Leave into the lead for the first time.

https://twitter.com/attom96/status/746120386711007232

That's a huge leave vote in Sunderland. By no means certain that remain will win this

— Pat Leahy (@PatLeahyIT) June 23, 2016

Nissan's support for Remain little impact on Sunderland vote. General feeling people have seen their employers disappear before, regardless.

— Calum Sherwood (@CalumSSherwood) June 23, 2016

12.28am – The effects of the Sunderland announcement were soon felt in the value of the British pound.

The pound has fallen against the dollar as Leave makes surprisingly strong showing in early Brexit vote https://t.co/XhmrnWZnUC

— TIME (@TIME) June 23, 2016

1am – Big wins for Leave followed in Swindon, Hartlepool and Kettering, which provoked an unlikely response from American actress Lindsay Lohan on social media as she made a series of observations.

https://twitter.com/lindsaylohan/status/746133322779234304

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https://twitter.com/lindsaylohan/status/746133322779234304

https://twitter.com/lindsaylohan/status/746135230512234496

1.24am – As more results started to be confirmed it became apparent that Scotland would play a central part of the Remain vote.

Both Dundee and West Dunbartonshire go for Remain. Will it be a clean sweep for Remain across Scotland? #EURefResults

— Ian Jones (@ian_a_jones) June 24, 2016

1.30am – People started to sense that Leave would win, and it showed in their Google searches.

+250% spike in "what happens if we leave the EU" in the past hourhttps://t.co/9b1d6Bsx6D

— GoogleTrends (@GoogleTrends) June 24, 2016

2.07am – Farage happy with North East England results as he began to reveal his growing optimism.

So happy with the results in North East England. Pleased that our last rally was in Gateshead. #EUref

— Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) June 24, 2016

2.13am – George Galloway called a victory for Leave.

First they ignored us. Then they laughed at us. Then they attacked us. Then we won #Lexit #Brexit

— George Galloway (@georgegalloway) June 24, 2016

2.30am – Remain went back ahead for the first time since the Sunderland announcement after big wins in Lambeth and Glasgow.

Glasgow votes #Remain by 168,335 votes to 84,474 #EUref #EURefResults

— Laura Paterson (@LauraPatersonPA) June 24, 2016

Big wins in Lambeth and Glasgow put Remain into narrow lead for first time since Sunderland. But In side still underperforming expectations.

— Andrew Woodcock (@AndyWoodcock) June 24, 2016

3.44am – But over the next hour the Leave campaign enjoyed gain across Wales, Northern Ireland, Yorkshire and the Midlands to dwarf the majority of Remain’s support in Scotland and London.

I now dare to dream that the dawn is coming up on an independent United Kingdom.

— Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) June 24, 2016

Leave is now ahead by just over 500,000 votes #EURefResults https://t.co/SY7sUkpLiF

— Press Association (@PA) June 24, 2016

3.52am – Labour MP John Mann said David Cameron would be “out before the kids come home from school” as a Brexit looked increasingly likely.

Usual rubbish about Cameron must stay. He will be out before kids come home from school .

— John Mann (@JohnMannMP) June 24, 2016

3.57am – Sterling’s slide against the dollar continued after a string of victories for Leave appeared to show its lead consolidating. Latest trading figures show the pound at 1.37 dollars, down from a high last night of over 1.5 dollars.

4am – Farage was in a triumphant mood after returning to a Brexit party, saying: “If the predictions are right, this will be a victory for real people, a victory for ordinary people, and a victory for decent people. Let June 23 go down in our history as our independence day.”

Asked if Cameron should quit if there is a vote in favour of Leave, he replied: “Immediately.”

4.38am – Conservative Stephen Crabb said he did not think the Prime Minister “could have done any more” and it was “absolutely essential” that he remained in No 10.

4.53am – Jenny Watson, national chief counting officer, said the estimate for turnout for the referendum was 72.2%.

4.55am – Farage’s comment that Leave had gained victory “without a single bullet being fired” prompted anger from some corners of the internet.

https://twitter.com/markmcdsnp/status/746177931718852609

Did Farage actually claim that not a bullet was fired? Did he really just say that?

— Patrick Harvie ?? (@patrickharvie) June 24, 2016

5.07am – People started to wake up to the news of the vote and celebrities began to have their say.

I don't think I've ever wanted magic more. https://t.co/gVNQ0PYIMT

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) June 24, 2016

Farage labelled it ‘Independence Day’.

We've got our country back. Thanks to all of you. #IndependenceDay

— Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) June 24, 2016

6.01am – Finally, official confirmation that the UK public has voted to leave the EU.

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UK backs Brexit: Timeline of a historic night as Britain votes to leave the EU