Nottinghamshire votes 57 per cent in favour of leaving the European Union

The eight Nottinghamshire council counting areas returned some shock results

Nottinghamshire has voted in favour of leaving the European Union in a day of huge change in British politics.

Overall 57 per cent of Notts voters backed leaving the union, with 43 voting in favour of remaining.

Nationally 51.9 per cent of people voted to leave.

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  Nottingham city narrowly votes to leave the European Union

• Newark & Sherwood, Gedling, Mansfield, Bassetlaw, Broxtowe, Ashfield all also vote to leave by wider margins
• Rushcliffe is only Nottinghamshire council area to vote in favour of remain

• Turnout figures across Nottinghamshire higher than 2015 General Election
  

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Of all eight council areas in Notts, only Rushcliffe voted in favour of remaining in the union.

There were some big wins for Leave elsewhere in the county, with both Mansfield and Ashfield voting to leave by 71 per cent and 70 per cent respectively.

Local Brexit campaigners said the result was a reflection of working class voters feeling unrepresented by the political establishment.

Remain campaigners in Notts admitted to being surprised by the result but added they accepted the decision.

Announcement greeted with loud cheers from Leave campaigners as Nottingham votes ‘out’ by just over 1,000 votes pic.twitter.com/hoWyKpRD94

— Notts TV News (@Notts_TVNews) June 24, 2016

Video: The moment it was revealed Nottingham city had voted to leave 

But some claimed dire economic consequences could follow and a Brexit would not ease problems in deprived areas with low household incomes and a shortage of job opportunities.

As the county and the country woke up to a result that had not been predicted by late polls or bookmakers, Prime Minister David Cameron announced he will stand down by October.

Matthew Faithfull, a UKIP leader from Rushcliffe who campaigned for Leave, said: “If we’d voted to remain the democracy we had would have been diminished.”

And Nottingham UKIP member Francesco Lari said Nottingham voted narrowly to leave because working class voters feel “let down by the European Union and mainstream political parties”.

Alan Rhodes, the Labour leader of Nottinghamshire County Council and a Remain campaigner, said: “Clearly the people have spoken. Although the margins have been incredibly narrow.

“What we have to do as politicians is listen. I campaigned to remain because of the benefits.

“Unfortunately older people and younger working families – it hasn’t been explained to them properly in the campaign and we have to take responsibility for that.”

He said he thought in some cases people had voted with their ‘gut feeling’ and there had been cases of “hearts ruling heads”.

It has also been a day of soul-searching for Nottinghamshire’s MPs – all of whom except for Bassetlaw’s John Mann campaigned for Remain.

Broxtowe’s Conservative MP Anna Soubry has said the announcement of David Cameron’s departure is bad news for the country.

I will respect the result. It’s a dreadful decision. We have to make the best of it.

— Anna Soubry MP (@Anna_Soubry) June 24, 2016

Mr Mann, who became a vocal supporter of Leave late in the contest, said the result “is about the people wanting to take back power and influence”.

My constituents do not want a divided Britain. Nor are they racists or pandering to racism. They want their concerns addressing with action.

— John Mann (@JohnMannMP) June 24, 2016

In Mansfield, where 70 per cent of votes marked a cross next to ‘leave’ on the ballot paper, Executive Mayor Kate Allsop the exit could mean an opportunity to stop Government “cuts to try and bring in more funding into Mansfield district”.

In Newark & Sherwood Conservative MP Robert Jenrick, who backed Remain, Tweeted: “Huge risks; huge opportunities ahead. Will do all I can to make this historic decision a success for us all and for our children.”

Mr Cameron is now expected to start a negotiation process with the European Union, likely to be completed by his successor.

Scott Knowles, Chief Executive of East Midlands Chamber, which represents Nottinghamshire businesses, said: “Now is the time for clear heads, strong leadership and decisive action. Firms want help to get Britain back to business at a time of great uncertainty. The health of the economy must be the number one priority.”