A car is abandoned under a bridge in Battersea after getting stuck in floodwater on Brexit poll day
Brits Battle Floods and Transport Troubles to Vote in Historic Brexit Referendum
Most recent polls showed a neck-and-neck race between “Leave” and “Remain”
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On the same day that UK residents vote as to whether the country should leave or remain in the EU, torrential rains descended on England, stranding many in London as railway terminals closed, while other Brits were stuck on the continent as a result of French labor strikes.
Yet millions of voters battled the conditions to head to the polls. In Scotland, where the weather was sunnier, turnout was predicted to be as high as 80 percent.
Tracking updates, The Guardian was offering livecoverage here and will post returns herethroughout the evening and overnight.
MP Nigel Farage, one of the foremost voices for the “leave” camp, hypothesized that the poor weather in England could benefit his position. But reports on the ground don’t seem to indicate that outcome. As The Guardian‘s David Pegge reports:
Despite comments from Nigel Farage earlier in the day anticipating that the bad weather could favour the leave campaign by putting off “soft remainers,” local activists canvassing outside schools and stations in an effort to reach parents and commuters said they felt positive.
“Turnout appears to have been fairly high. An awful lot of people are saying ‘I’ve already voted,'” said Freddie Wilkinson, leafleting outside Highbury and Islington station.
“There are quite a few people trickling in,” said Jo Wood, one of a group of Labour party members out campaigning. “People are voting.”
Results for the area are expected to be declared after 1:30am, making it one of the earlier counts for London.
Indeed, with polls closing nationwide at 10pm, the final results for all locations are not expected until 6am. The Guardian has a roundup of when results for various council areas are expected to come in, and how the results are expected to evolve as the night wears on.