David Cameron resigns as British prime minister

David Cameron has resigned as British Prime Minister after Britain voted to leave the European Union.

Mr Cameron said the result was the “will of the British people” which was an “instruction which must be delivered”.

“I fought this campiagn the only way I know going with what I strongly believe. Although I will try to steady this ship, I think we should have a new UK PM by October. Negotiation with EU will need to begin under a new PM,” he said.

“I will do everything I can as PM to steady the ship over coming weeks and months,” he added.

The referendum, called by Mr Cameron, delivered a shock victory for the Leave campaign.

The Brexit vote immediately sent the pound tumbling and sparked calls for Mr Cameron’s resignation.

Mr Cameron called the vote on Brexit in 2013 under pressure from the anti-EU wing of his Conservative Party and Ukip, hoping to end decades of debate over the UK’s ties with Europe.

However, the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union after 43 years, plunging the region and its neighbours into an uncertain future and shocking international financial markets.

With a turnout of 72.2 per cent, 51.9 per cent voted to leave; 48.1 per cent voted to remain.

Over 17 million people voted to leave (17,410,742), while just over 16 million (16,141,241) voted to leave.

The result surprised Leave campaigners as well as most pollsters and political analysts.

London, Scotland and Northern Ireland voted strongly to remain in the EU.

But there were big majorities for Leave in other parts of the country, particularly in the north of England, and Wales and the English shires also backed Brexit.

More than 30 million people voted in the referendum and the turnout of 71.8 per cent was the highest for any UK-wide vote since 1992.

Ukip leader Nigel Farage told supporters that July 23rd would go down in history as Britain’s Independence Day.

“Dare to dream that the dawn is breaking on an independent United Kingdom,” he said.

84 Conservative MPs who supported Vote Leave, including Boris Johnson and Michael Gove, had written to Mr Cameron saying he should stay on as prime minister regardless of the referendum outcome.

-Agencies