2016/09: Should Britain leave the European Union?
Introduction to the media issue
Video clip at right:On June 24 American Broadcast News released a report on the United Kingdom's decision to leave the EU, some of the reasons for it and some of its possible effects. If you cannot see this clip, it will be because video is blocked by your network. To view the clip, access from home or from a public library, or from another network which allows viewing of video clips.
What they said...
'It's being British. It's knowing that other people can't understand our way of life as well as you can living in your own country'
Robert Baron, 67, participant in a vox pop conducted in South Benfleet
'To people my age it's pretty obvious. We stay... my generation has the most at stake...'
Gus Sharpe, 19, Margate resident interviewed by The Times
The issue at a glance
On June 23, 2016, Great Britain voted in a referendum on whether or not to remain within the European Union (EU). This referendum was arranged by the British Parliament through the European Union Referendum Act, 2015.
The result was 51.9% in support of an exit (17,410,742 votes) and 48.1% (16,141,241 votes) to remai, with a turnout of 72.2%.
The referendum outcome has led to significant consternation within Great Britain. Within hours of the result's announcement, a petition, calling for a second referendum, was gaining support. By 10.40 pm on June 28 it had attracted 4,000,003 signatures, over forty times the number needed for any petition to be considered for debate in Parliament. While the First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, was warning that Scotland may refuse legislative consent to dropping EU law in Scotland.
Within Britain, prominent supporters of the exit vote have advised that Britain make a slow, carefully negotiated withdrawal from the EU, while key EU leaders have demanded that Britain finalise its withdrawal as quickly as possible in the name of causing the least disruption to the EU.