By Evan Centanni
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| Map of election results in the UK's "Brexit" referendum. Modified by Evan Centanni from Wikimedia map by Mirrorme22, Nilfanion, TUBS, and Sting (CC BY-SA). |
Brexit by Constituency
The results are in for yesterday's referendum on UK membership in the European Union, and the winner is "Leave". Brits voted by a margin of 52% to 48% in favor of exiting the European Union, making a "Brexit" (British exit from the EU) more or less guaranteed in the coming years. Britain will become the first member country ever to leave the EU, and the British overseas territory of Gibraltar is expected to get pulled out with it.Learn More: Brexit: 9 Geography Facts You Should Know About the Referendum and Britain's EU Membership
Who Voted to Stay
Voter tendencies varied a lot from place to place. Support for the "Remain" side was strong across Scotland, culturally Irish parts of Northern Ireland, the London area, and a handful of other cities in England (led by Cambridge, Oxford, and Brighton).By far the greatest show of support for Remain was a win by 96% in Gibraltar - which isn't even in the UK proper, but got to vote because of its unique status as a British external territory that's in the EU.
Photo Essay: Gibraltar and the Brexit Referendum
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| Gold: Districts with over 50% for Remain Blue: Districts with over 50% for Leave Map from Wikimedia Commons (click for more info) |
Who Voted to Leave
The "Leave" vote, on the other hand, was strongest in eastern England, with substantial support from all across England, Wales, and the most ethnically British parts of Northern Ireland. The vast majority of the UK's population lives in England, and this was enough to carry the referendum.
The district with the highest support for Leave was Boston, England, where 76% of voters favored leaving the EU
England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland
Taking the UK's "constituent countries" as wholes, England and Wales each voted 53% for Leave vs. 47% for Remain, while Scotland supported Remain by 62% to 38%, and Northern Ireland supported Remain by 56% to 44%.Scotland was the most consistently supportive of Remain, with every district at least 50% in favor of staying in the EU. England, Wales, and Northern Ireland all had some districts that went each way, though Northern Ireland was probably the most geographically divided, with 7 districts favoring Leave, and 11 favoring Remain.