An urban legend has it that, when reporting the shipping forecast, one British newspaper carried the headline: ‘Fog in the Channel, Continent cut off.’ The apocryphal headline has often been used to describe the general attitude in Britain towards continental Europe.

On the morning of June 24, that headline seemed to encapsulate the general sentiment in the British Isles. The result of the referendum over Britain’s continued relationship with the EU delivered a stark and shocking result: 52 per cent of voters opted to leave the EU.

The outcome came as a surprise both to people in the UK and around the globe. One of the key figures of the Leave campaign, Nigel Farage, conceded defeat before the first ballot boxes were open only to retract this concession and deliver a victory speech a few hours later. In her column, the controversial Daily Mail columnist Katie Hopkins exclaimed: “Pinch me, I must be dreaming.”

The reaction of the markets was not so positive. The value of the pound sterling plummeted and the City braced itself for gruelling times ahead. The political fallout was also anticipated. Shell-shocked European leaders are urging the British government to trigger off the provisions of Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty and begin the process of withdrawal. The general sentiment in various European capitals is that there will be a divorce, and it will not be amicable.

In less than 24 hours after the result, Prime Minister David Cameron and European Commissioner Lord Hill said they will both resign from their respective positions. Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon hinted that a second independence referendum may be held to keep Scotland in the EU. In Northern Ireland, fears over the closure of the border with the Republic abounded. Bitterness looms large over a divided country.

The usually cautious and reticent British voters have delivered a result which is both sobering and ground-breaking

Britain emerges from this campaign in a poorer state. The murder of MP Jo Cox is a stark reminder of the poisoned and cynical atmosphere which reigns supreme. There will clearly be some difficult times ahead; political careers have been terminated, the hopes of 48 per cent of the electorate have been dashed and uncertainty seems to beckon.

Nonetheless, much of the discussion is, at present, based solely on emotion and conjecture. In the aftermath of such a divisive campaign, feelings of hurt and betrayal abound. These can only be healed with the distance of time and perspective. It is still far too early to analyse all the elements which emerge from this electoral exercise but some points are worth engaging with.

The British voters delivered a vote of no-confidence in both EU politics and the British establishment. A cursory look at the list of entities who endorsed a Remain vote reveals that there is a widening chasm between the goals of established institutions and voters.

The Labour Party, the Liberal Democrats, prominent Cabinet ministers, the governments of Scotland, Wales and Gibraltar were joined by key businessmen and leading economists who advocated for a Remain vote. Cultural icons such as David Beckham, Benedict Cumberbatch and JK Rowling also endorsed this position. On an international level, the United States President, the European Central Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, NATO and the G7 group also backed the Remain camp. The result in favour of Brexit is a stark reminder that anti-establishment politics are still going strong and gaining traction.

The usually cautious and reticent British voters have delivered a result which is both sobering and ground-breaking. The anti-establishment sentiment cannot be easily dismissed and there are some stark and difficult decisions to be taken in light of this result.

One certainty is that Cameron’s political future is non-existent. This is a positive development. Ever since he became party leader in 2005, Cameron has championed the politics of cynicism and convenience. Concerned with his own survival and with petty gains, he emerges as a man of no conviction and no backbone.

In the pantheon of Conservative political leaders, he lacks the stature of other great prime ministers such as Margaret Thatcher, Harold Macmillan, Winston Churchill and Lord Salisbury. His decision to see through the summer months is perhaps one of the fewsound judgements he has made in the last few months.

At the time of writing, Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn still clings on to his position. After running a lacklustre and unconvincing campaign, his position is untenable. Analysts have pointed out that many Brexit voters came from traditional working class areas. Labour’s failure to energise its traditional constituencies does not bode well for its future.

Britain will undoubtedly leave the EU. The legal and the constitutional implications of this are yet to be quantified. However, leaving the EU should not lead to a severing of all ties. Britain remains an important partner and European leaders must not lose sight of this.

Britain’s future will not be directly tied to the EU. Nonetheless, its economic and political future will still be intrinsically linked to Europe. Britain cannot afford to deal with a Europe in decline and an unstable UK would not be to the EU’s benefit. Despite the initial fall out, cooler heads must prevail.

André DeBattista holds degrees in public policy and international relations andis a member of the Political Studies Association (UK) and a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

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