Thursday 23rd June 2016 I voted twice in the Euro referendum. Once for me, and once as proxy for BestMate, who's currently driving towards an airport in America. We both wonder what kind of Britain he'll be flying home to. 22:00 The polls close, and the nation's destiny is sealed. Turnout is high. 22:01 There is no exit poll, but bookies and the stock market seem pretty confident Remain will win. 23:37 Gibraltar votes strongly for Remain, as you'd expect. The general mood is 'Remain'.
Friday 24th June 2016 00:00 Hang on, Newcastle has voted only narrowly for Remain. Has Leave done better than expected? 00:16 Sunderland swings strongly to Leave. This is well off expectations. 00:30 The pound is tumbling on the markets, down several cents in a few minutes. 01:00 A suggestion that turnout is highest in areas that most want to kick the government. 01:40 Both sides are neck and neck, but we've only had 3% of the national vote so far. 02:00 Most areas are voting Leave. We're on course to Leave, surely. 02:10 Sterling tumbles again, down eight cents in two hours. 02:30 Inner London boroughs are voting very strongly Remain, which breaks through 2m votes. 03:00 Now at 4m votes each, the national breakdown is on a 50% knife edge. 03:30 Leave nudges over 51%, with Scotland, Northern Ireland and London the hubs of 'Remain'. 03:47 Leave is now halfway towards the winning post, with Remain slipping 4% behind. 04:02 "Dare to dream that dawn is breaking on an independent United Kingdom" (Nigel Farage) 04:30 Remain remain 4% behind. The pound hit $1.50 yesterday, it's now $1.35. 04:40 The BBC declares Brexit. Leave have an unassailable near-million lead. 05:00 Every part of Scotland has voted to Remain (and may just possibly do so). 05:10 I wrote a satirical Brexit timeline a couple of days ago. It's fairly factual so far. 05:30 It's hard to know which part of this disaster movie to sleep through. 06:00 Northumberland takes Leave across the finishing line - we are officially Out. 07:20 Final result Remain 16,141,241 (51.9%), Leave 17,410,742 (48.1%) on a turnout of 72%. 08:20 David Cameron announces he'll be replaced (by heaven knows who) in the Autumn. 08:45 Governor of the Bank of England speaks to reassure the plummeting markets. 11:10 Boris thanks the British people for voting to take back control. 11:20 President of the European Commission says there will be no renegotiation with the UK. 11:25 Nicola Sturgeon confirms Scotland will move towards a second independence referendum. 11:40 Angela Merkel regrets the UK's departure, and urges the remaining 27 to stay together. 12:00 Labour MPs have tabled a No Confidence motion in Jeremy Corbyn's leadership.
