EU Referendum
The UK has voted to leave the European Union in an historic referendum. Now the aftermath of that vote is reflected in the global financial reaction, statements from world leaders and analysis of what should happen next.
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Beckham is 'In'
Former England football captain David Beckham today backed the "In" campaign.
In a statement issued by Britain Stronger in Europe campaign, Beckham explained he came to his decision by recalling how colleagues from across Europe had helped him triumph while at Manchester United.
He said the core of the team that won English and European titles had been made up of British players "but we were a better and more successful team because of a Danish goalkeeper, Peter Schmeichel, the leadership of an Irishman Roy Keane and the skill of a Frenchman in Eric Cantona."
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Two days to goAs each side seeks to play its last trump cards, the pro-EU "Britain Stronger in Europe" campaign has issued a final poster of a door leading into a dark void with the slogan: "Leave and there's no going back."
Leave campaigners meanwhile have stepped up their focus on what they call uncontrolled immigration, saying Prime Minister David Cameron had been warned four years ago his goal of reducing net arrivals was impossible due to EU rules.
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With two days to go, Britain's EU referendum on a knife-edge
Reuters UKWith two days to go until a referendum on EU membership that will shape the future of the European Union and the West, polls and surveys indicated British opinion is so divided that the outcome is too close to call. -
European shares have their best day since August as Brexit camp loses ground
Top European shares indexes posted their biggest rallies since August, led by heavyweight banking stocks
This comes on the back of weekend opinion polls which boosted expectations that Britain would vote to stay in the EU.
- The pan-European STOXX 600 and FTSEurofirst 300 indexes both rose 3.7 percent, the biggest one day gain for each index for ten months. Both indexes moved back towards a level last seen earlier in June.
Markets recovered from three straight weeks of falls, sending sterling towards its biggest one-day gain in 7 years.
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It simply wouldn't be credible for the UK to ever contemplate rejoining.
"Any future British government wanting to join the EU would be faced with standard terms...
"So this makes this a very asymmetric decision on Thursday. If we decide to go, we're gone, forever, no second thoughts, no turning back."
- UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond
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"No way back": UK Foreign Secretary says Britain would not be able to rejoin the EU
- UK Foreign Minister Philip Hammond has said it is not credible for Britain to rejoin the EU, because the membership requirements would be too onerous.
- Since becoming a member of the bloc in 1973, Britain has negotiated exclusions from EU laws and membership of the single currency (the euro) as well as winning a rebate from the EU's annual budget. Hammond said that such measures wouldn't be available to a new member.
- Hammond also said he is unclear on the timing of exit clause in the case of a leave vote. He said he hoped the eventuality wouldn't arise because it would be an 'irreversible process'. He said: 'It means we are out and there is no way back."
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Brits in Brussels eye going Belgian as EU referendum loomsBrexit may be an abstract idea for many Britons but for compatriots living in continental Europe Thursday's EU membership referendum has a very real impact -- especially on those working for the Union itself in Brussels.
"It's a very weird feeling, like your parent leaving the family home," said one of several British employees of European Union institutions who spoke to Reuters. Like others, he did not want to be named as he voiced personal opinions about a vote which could deprive Britons of the right to work for the EU. -
Wall Street rebounds as Brexit worries subside
Wall Street rose sharply on Monday with the S&P and the Dow recovering last week's losses after the latest polls showed an increased possibility of Britain remaining in the E.U.
Uncertainties about the ramifications of Britain's exit in a vote on Thursday sent global markets into a tizzy last week as investors fled to safe-haven assets such as the yen and gold.
However, polls showed that the "Remain" campaign had gathered favor over the weekend.
"If I had a seatbelt while watching the markets, I'd put it on," said Kim Forrest, senior equity research analyst at Fort Pitt Capital Group in Pittsburgh.
"It's still a very close call, but this at least gives the markets a little bit of hope."
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Markets behaving badly: Brexit could trigger a liquidity migraine, writes @swahapattanaik https://t.co/9uZQRiHgrd https://t.co/lt9yCcjdtv
12:51 PM - 20 Jun 2016- Reply
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Here's why Euro 2016 is making some England fans look differently at Brexit:
Robert Fawcett has already cast his postal vote for Britain to leave the European Union, but since arriving in France for the European football championship he's suffered moments of doubt.
Mingling with supporters from many countries in the southern French city of Lyon, with the beer flowing freely and the fans singing and dancing in the streets, the 25-year-old engineer from Grimsby, northern England, is feeling a bit more European.
England fans react after their team scores a goal as they watch the England v Wales EURO 2016 Group B soccer match, near the Eiffel Tower, in Paris, France, June 16, 2016.REUTERS/PHILIPPE WOJAZER -
It's Harry Potter and the EU referendum monsters, by JK Rowling: https://t.co/mooTM79YuC https://t.co/HYGbSz5FyN
4:45 PM - 20 Jun 2016- Reply
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UK politician quits Brexit camp over 'lies and xenophobia' https://t.co/O5gO2f4S46 https://t.co/42WsSHJet6
Retweeted by ReutersWorld4:26 PM - 20 Jun 2016- Reply
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FTSE rallies as 'Remain' campaign regains groundUK shares paced by banks and housebuilding rose today, boosted by polls suggesting the campaign for Britain to remain in the European Union was regaining a narrow edge over the "Out" camp.
Britain's blue chip FTSE 100 index rose 2 percent to 6,138.78 points by 0909 BST, extending Friday's 1.2 percent gain.
Two opinion polls published on Saturday showed that the campaign to keep Britain in the European Union ahead of its June 23 referendum had regained its lead, while a third poll also showed momentum for an "In" vote.
The overall picture, however, remains one of an evenly split electorate. -
Watch live: Procession to St Margaret's Church for a service of remembrance for Jo Cox MP. https://t.co/qe7NUJeXQ8 https://t.co/gsLOYfL1m4
3:37 PM - 20 Jun 2016- Reply
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Commentary: Two defining moments in the Brexit campaign
ReutersBy John Lloyd British authorities suspended Brexit campaigning after the shocking murder of smart, popular Labour Party parliamentarian Jo Cox on -
British Parliament recalled in the aftermath of MP Jo Cox's murder: https://t.co/PeiWGKgG5b https://t.co/90A7QzLzxb
2:35 PM - 20 Jun 2016- Reply
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Why Nissan is taking legal action against the #Brexit campaign: https://t.co/sJ1dQr0YY7 https://t.co/8OGNLZluG8
2:40 PM - 20 Jun 2016- Reply
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Man accused of murdering British MP Jo Cox appears in court
The man accused of murdering British lawmaker Jo Cox made a brief appearance via videolink at London's Old Bailey criminal court on Monday, speaking only to confirm his name.
Thomas Mair was remanded in custody and will appear at the Old Bailey again on Thursday.
At an initial hearing in a lower court on Saturday, Mair said his name was "death to traitors, freedom for Britain". At Monday's hearing, asked if he was Thomas Mair, he said "yes I am".
The murder of Cox, a 41-year-old mother of two young children, has shocked Britain, elicited condolences from leaders around the world and raised questions about the tone of campaigning before Britain's referendum on EU membership which takes place on Thursday.
A court artist sketch by Elizabeth Cook shows Thomas Mair (C) appearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London, Britain June 18, 2016. Elizabeth Cook/Press Association via REUTERS -
Britain's 'In' campaign wins more support, buoys markets: https://t.co/BvrqXWZgEK https://t.co/gwdK5kxDDq
2:32 PM - 20 Jun 2016- Reply
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London's traders are bracing for the biggest night since 'Black Wednesday'
The world's biggest banks including Citi and Goldman Sachs will draft in senior traders to work through the night following Britain's referendum on EU membership.
It's set to be among the most volatile 24 hours for markets in a quarter of a century.
It is predicted that a vote to leave would spook investors by undermining post-World War Two attempts at European integration and placing a question mark over the future of the UK and its $2.9 trillion economy.
Citi, Deutsche Bank, JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, HSBC, Barclays, Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds are among those banks planning to have senior staff and traders working or on call in London as results start to dribble in after polls close at 2100 GMT, according to the sources.
The Bank of England will be staffed overnight, with senior policymakers on call if markets go into meltdown. The finance ministry would not comment on its staffing plans.
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Probability of a Remain vote in Britain's EU referendum soars to 78 percent: Betfair odds
The implied probability of a British vote to remain in the European Union soared to 78 percent today, up from a range between 60 and 67 percent on Friday, according to Betfair betting odds.
William Hill said it was offering odds of 1/5, or an 83 percent chance, for a vote to Remain.
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Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, who is backing 'Remain', has said in a post on her website that the referendum has been 'uglier' than any political campaign in her lifetime.
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Commentary: In febrile UK referendum, a brutal murder
Before news broke of the shocking killing of Parliament member Jo Cox, Britain’s vote on leaving the European Union was so tight that the results might have come down to the weather. Or perhaps how well England does in the Euro 2016 football tournament.
Even the Glastonbury music festival taking place the same week and pulling thousands of voters away from their constituency could, some believed, have been enough to swing it.
Now, the June 23 vote will take place against the backdrop of the murder of the 41-year-old lawmaker for the opposition Labour Party — a vocal supporter of Britain remaining in the European Union.
- Peter Apps, Reuters global affairs columnist
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Trump says Britain should leave EU: newspaper interview
ReutersDonald Trump told Britons on Sunday he supported Brexit, repeating just days before the vote on June 23 that he thinks the UK would be better off outside the European Union. -
In the shadow of a murder, Britain to vote on EU membership
Reuters UKBritons will shape the future of the United Kingdom and Europe on Thursday when they decide whether to stay in the European Union following a campaign that has shown the potency of anti-establishment feeling in the West. -
Reuters Alastair MacDonald gets his crystal ball out to see what might happen post-Brexit.He maps out what could happen after a vote to leave, based on conversations with many diplomats and officials - few of whom speak of it in public for fear of inflaming the Brexit debate.
Dawn, next Friday. The votes are in. The British have spoken in their EU membership referendum and they want out. It is a scenario European leaders are planning for in earnest while praying it never happens.
DAY 1 - FRIDAY, JUNE 24 - THE THREE R'S - OR MOREDAY 3 - SUNDAY, JUNE 26 - RALLYING ROUND THE EU FLAGDAY 4 - MONDAY, JUNE 27 - KEEP CALM AND CARRY ONDAY 5 - TUESDAY, JUNE 28 - "DAVID, ARE YOU LEAVING NOW?"DAY 6 - WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29 - "PLEASE WAIT OUTSIDE, DAVID."FROM DAY 7 - NOTHING (AND EVERYTHING) CHANGES; HELLO ESTONIAEND OF THE ROAD? -
British politician quits Brexit camp, citing 'lies and xenophobia'
Reuters UKA senior British politician on Monday accused those campaigning for Britain to leave the European Union of spreading lies, hate and xenophobia, saying she was switching to the "Remain" camp. -
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The odds, the polls, and the poll of polls...Click here to visit our interactive graphic and track how the polls have changed over time - and how they alter between pollsters.
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Global stocks gain and safe havens retreat as Brexit worries lessen:
Global stocks rose today and sterling strengthened broadly while safe-havens including the yen and gold retreated
This comes after polls showed support for Britain staying in the EU regaining momentum before Thursday's referendum.
Sterling has been at the sharp end of worries Britons will vote to leave the EU, and the slightly diminished Brexit fears pushed the pound up 1.5 percent against the dollar and more than 2 percent versus the yen.
Share prices, which fell globally in recent days on the prospect of Britain quitting the bloc as some polls showed the "Leave" campaign ahead, rose strongly.
The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index added 2.9 percent, led by banks, while Britain's blue-chip FTSE 100 index chalked up a similar gain.
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Premier League clubs back UK remaining in EU - chairman
Reuters UKThe top soccer clubs of England and Wales back a "Remain" vote in Britain's European Union referendum because leaving would run counter to their global approach to business, the chairman of the Premier League said on Monday. -
Factbox - Britain's newspapers take sides in EU referendum debate
Reuters UKWith just days to go before Britain's June 23 referendum on European Union membership, Britain's newspapers have publicly come out on their chosen sides, hoping to influence the debate as polls paint a picture of an evenly split electorate. -
Britain's rival EU camps resume campaign as polls show momentum for 'In'
Reuters UKCampaigning for Britain's vote on EU membership resumed on Sunday after a three-day hiatus prompted by the killing of a pro-EU lawmaker, but pledges of a more respectful tone were quickly tested by a fresh row over immigration. -
European history hovers close to reverse gear
Reuters UKEuropean history may be about to go into reverse. -
Brexit would be a 'poison' for economies in Europe: German trade body
Reuters UKA British exit from the European Union would be poison for the economies in Europe and there would only be losers if Britain decided to leave the 28-bloc this week, the head of Germany's BGA trade federation said on Monday. -
Probability of Remain vote in Britain's EU referendum rises to 74.6 percent - Betfair odds
Reuters UKThe probability of a British vote to remain in the European Union implied by Betfair betting odds rose to 74.6 percent on Monday, up from a range between 60 and 67 percent on Friday. -
Sterling in biggest one-day gain for seven years as Brexit fears ease
Reuters UKSterling soared 2 percent against the dollar on Monday, putting it on track for its biggest one-day gain for more than seven years, as worries eased that Britain might vote to leave the European Union at a June 23 referendum. -
Sterling, bond yields rise as Brexit opinions shift
Reuters UKSterling and bond yields rose on Friday as traders tried to assess whether the killing of a pro-EU British lawmaker may change the balance of opinions in Britain's upcoming referendum on European Union membership. -
Brexit vote has markets, central banks on alert
Reuters UKThe shaky world economy faces a potentially severe test in the coming week, when Britain could turn its back on the European Union, which would shock financial markets and put pressure on already stretched central banks to prevent a new slump. -
Scottish leader says EU referendum on knife edge, Brexit could trigger independence vote
Reuters UKBritain's referendum on European Union membership is on a knife edge and if England backs an exit that drags Scots out of the bloc against their will, Scotland may call a new vote on independence, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said. -
Exclusive - ECB would pledge to backstop markets after a Brexit : sources
Reuters UKThe European Central Bank would publicly pledge to backstop financial markets in tandem with the Bank of England should Britain vote to leave the European Union, officials with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.
