London: Britain has voted to leave the European Union, in a shock referendum result that defied late polls and is predicted to hurt the global economy.
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Nigel Farage, leader of the UK Independence Party and for years the face of British separatism, said he hoped this "independence day" marked the beginning of the collapse of the "failed" European project, leading to a Europe once again of sovereign nation states.
As dawn broke over Britain, it became clear that the Leave campaign had won – just – the majority backing of a deeply divided country.
The rusting industrial, white working class heart of Britain led a surge of votes for the island to break its legal and economic ties to Europe, and reset itself as an independent nation.
Motivating the vote was mistrust of unchecked immigration from Europe, analysts said.
Free movement of labour is one of the pillars of the union. But Leave voters feared immigrants were overloading Britain's health, education and welfare systems, pushing wages down and house prices up.
The pound took a huge hammering, hitting levels not seen since the 1980s, as the markets predicted trouble ahead for the British economy outside the EU trade zone, and ripple effects in Europe and beyond.
Economists have predicted a recession in Britain would result from the vote.
The Australian and US stock exchanges also dipped in response.
European political unionists feared the end of the "European project", the status quo on the continent since the Second World War.
But the Leave camp were jubilant, with Leave.eu founder Arron Banks saying democracy would return to Westminster.
Prime Minister David Cameron will now be fighting for his political life, having called the referendum and campaigned for Remain.
Some predicted he wouldn't last the day in the role.
He was expected to make a statement outside No.10 Downing Street later on Friday.