2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Responses to the referendum campaign, European responses
Dutch politician Geert Wilders, leader of the Party for Freedom, said that the Netherlands should follow Britain's example: "Like in the 1940s, once again Britain could help liberate Europe from another totalitarian monster, this time called 'Brussels'. Again, we could be saved by the British."


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Responses to the referendum campaign, European responses
Swedish foreign minister Margot Wallström said on 11 June 2016 that if Britain left the EU, other countries would have referendums on whether to leave the EU, and that if Britain stayed in the EU, other countries would negotiate, ask and demand to have special treatment.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Responses to the referendum campaign, European responses
Czech prime minister Bohuslav Sobotka suggested in February 2016 that the Czech Republic would start discussions on leaving the EU if the UK voted for an EU exit.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Responses to the referendum campaign, Non-European responses, International Monetary Fund
Christine Lagarde, the managing director of the International Monetary Fund, warned in February 2016 that the uncertainty over the outcome of the referendum would be bad "in and of itself" for the British economy. In response, Leave campaigner Priti Patel said a previous warning from the IMF regarding the coalition government's deficit plan for the UK was proven incorrect and that the IMF "were wrong then and are wrong now".


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Responses to the referendum campaign, Non-European responses, United States
In October 2015, United States Trade Representative Michael Froman declared that the United States was not keen on pursuing a separate free-trade agreement (FTA) with Britain if it were to leave the EU, thus, according to The Guardian newspaper, undermining a key economic argument of proponents of those who say Britain would prosper on its own and be able to secure bilateral FTAs with trading partners.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Responses to the referendum campaign, Non-European responses, United States
Also in October 2015, the United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom Matthew Barzun said that UK participation in NATO and the EU made each group "better and stronger" and that, while the decision to remain or leave is a choice for the British people, it was in the US interest that it remain. In April 2016, eight former US Secretaries of the Treasury, who had served both Democratic and Republican presidents, urged Britain to remain in the EU.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Responses to the referendum campaign, Non-European responses, United States
In July 2015, President Barack Obama confirmed the long-standing US preference for the UK to remain in the EU. Obama said: "Having the UK in the EU gives us much greater confidence about the strength of the transatlantic union, and is part of the cornerstone of the institutions built after World War II that has made the world safer and more prosperous. We want to make sure that the United Kingdom continues to have that influence."


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Responses to the referendum campaign, Non-European responses, United States
Some Conservative MPs accused U.S. President Barack Obama of interfering in the Brexit vote, with Boris Johnson calling the intervention a "piece of outrageous and exorbitant hypocrisy" and UKIP leader Nigel Farage accusing him of "monstrous interference", saying "You wouldn't expect the British Prime Minister to intervene in your presidential election, you wouldn't expect the Prime Minister to endorse one candidate or another."


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Responses to the referendum campaign, Non-European responses, United States
Obama's intervention was criticised by Republican Senator Ted Cruz as "a slap in the face of British self-determination as the president, typically, elevated an international organisation over the rights of a sovereign people", and stated that "Britain will be at the front of the line for a free trade deal with America", were Brexit to occur.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Responses to the referendum campaign, Non-European responses, United States
More than 100 MPs from the Conservatives, Labour, UKIP and the DUP wrote a letter to the U.S. ambassador in London asking President Obama not to intervene in the Brexit vote as it had "long been the established practice not to interfere in the domestic political affairs of our allies and we hope that this will continue to be the case." Two years later, one of Obama's former aides recounted that the public intervention was made following a request by Cameron.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Responses to the referendum campaign, Non-European responses, United States
Prior to the vote, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump anticipated that Britain would leave based on its concerns over migration, while Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton hoped that Britain would remain in the EU to strengthen transatlantic co-operation.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Responses to the referendum campaign, Non-European responses, Other states
In October 2015, Chinese President Xi Jinping declared his support for Britain remaining in the EU, saying "China hopes to see a prosperous Europe and a united EU, and hopes Britain, as an important member of the EU, can play an even more positive and constructive role in promoting the deepening development of China-EU ties". Chinese diplomats have stated "off the record" that the People's Republic sees the EU as a counterbalance to American economic power, and that an EU without Britain would mean a stronger United States.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Responses to the referendum campaign, Non-European responses, Other states
In February 2016, the finance ministers from the G20 major economies warned for the UK to leave the EU would lead to "a shock" in the global economy.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Responses to the referendum campaign, Non-European responses, Other states
In May 2016, the Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said that Australia would prefer the UK to remain in the EU, but that it was a matter for the British people, and "whatever judgment they make, the relations between Britain and Australia will be very, very close".


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Responses to the referendum campaign, Non-European responses, Other states
Indonesian president Joko Widodo stated during a European trip that he was not in favour of Brexit.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Responses to the referendum campaign, Non-European responses, Other states
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe issued a statement of reasons why he was "very concerned" at the possibility of Brexit.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Responses to the referendum campaign, Non-European responses, Other states
Russian President Vladimir Putin said: "I want to say it is none of our business, it is the business of the people of the UK." Maria Zakharova, the official Russian foreign ministry spokesperson, said: "Russia has nothing to do with Brexit. We are not involved in this process in any way. We don't have any interest in it."


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Responses to the referendum campaign, Economists
In November 2015, the Governor of the Bank of England Mark Carney said that the Bank of England would do what was necessary to help the UK economy if the British people voted to leave the EU. In March 2016, Carney told MPs that an EU exit was the "biggest domestic risk" to the UK economy, but that remaining a member also carried risks, related to the European Monetary Union, of which the UK is not a member. In May 2016, Carney said that a "technical recession" was one of the possible risks of the UK leaving the EU. However, Iain Duncan Smith said Carney's comment should be taken with "a pinch of salt", saying "all forecasts in the end are wrong".


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Responses to the referendum campaign, Economists
In December 2015, the Bank of England published a report about the impact of immigration on wages. The report concluded that immigration put downward pressure on workers' wages, particularly low-skilled workers: a 10 percent point rise in the proportion of migrants working in low-skilled services drove down the average wages of low-skilled workers by about 2 percent. The 10 percentage point rise cited in the paper is larger than the entire rise observed since the 2004–06 period in the semi/unskilled services sector, which is about 7 percentage points.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Responses to the referendum campaign, Economists
In March 2016, Nobel prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz argued that he might reconsider his support for the UK remaining in the EU if the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) were to be agreed to. Stiglitz warned that under the investor-state dispute settlement provision in current drafts of the TTIP, governments risked being sued for loss of profits resulting from new regulations, including health and safety regulations to limit the use of asbestos or tobacco.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Responses to the referendum campaign, Economists
The German economist Clemens Fuest wrote that there was a liberal, free-trade bloc in the EU comprising the UK, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Denmark, Ireland, Slovakia, Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, controlling 32% of the votes in the European Council and standing in opposition to the dirigiste, protectionist policies favoured by France and its allies. Germany with its 'social market' economy stands midway between the French dirigiste economic model and the British free-market economic model.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Responses to the referendum campaign, Economists
From the German viewpoint, the existence of the liberal bloc allows Germany to play-off free-market Britain against dirigiste France, and that if Britain were to leave, the liberal bloc would be severely weakened, thereby allowing the French to take the EU into a much more dirigiste direction that would be unattractive from the standpoint of Berlin.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Responses to the referendum campaign, Economists
A study by Oxford Economics for the Law Society of England and Wales has suggested that Brexit would have a particularly large negative impact on the UK financial services industry and the law firms that support it, which could cost the law sector as much as £1.7bn per annum by 2030.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Responses to the referendum campaign, Economists
The Law Society's own report into the possible effects of Brexit notes that leaving the EU would be likely to reduce the role played by the UK as a centre for resolving disputes between foreign firms, whereas a potential loss of "passporting" rights would require financial services firms to transfer departments responsible for regulatory oversight overseas.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Responses to the referendum campaign, Economists
World Pensions Forum director M. Nicolas J. Firzli has argued that the Brexit debate should be viewed within the broader context of economic analysis of EU law and regulation in relation to English common law, arguing: "Every year, the British Parliament is forced to pass tens of new statutes reflecting the latest EU directives coming from Brussels – a highly undemocratic process known as 'transposition'... Slowly but surely, these new laws dictated by EU commissars are conquering English common law, imposing upon UK businesses and citizens an ever-growing collection of fastidious regulations in every field".


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Responses to the referendum campaign, Economists
Thiemo Fetzer, professor of economics from University of Warwick, analyzed the welfare reforms in the UK since 2000 and suggests that numerous austerity-induced welfare reforms from 2010 onwards have stopped contributing to mitigate income differences through transfer payments. This could be a key activating factor of anti-EU preferences that lie behind the development of economic grievances and the lack of support in a Remain victory.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Responses to the referendum campaign, Economists
Michael Jacobs, the current director of the Commission on Economic Justice at the Institute for Public Policy Research and Mariana Mazzucato, a professor in University College London in Economics of Innovation and Public Value have found that the Brexit campaign had the tendency to blame external forces for domestic economic problems and have argued that the problems within the economy wasn't due to 'unstoppable forces of globalisation' but rather the result of active political and business decisions. Instead, they claim that orthodox economic theory has guided poor economic policy such as investment and that has been the cause of problems within the British economy.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Responses to the referendum campaign, Economists, Institute for Fiscal Studies
In May 2016, the Institute for Fiscal Studies said that an EU exit could mean two more years of austerity cuts as the government would have to make up for an estimated loss of £20 billion to £40 billion of tax revenue. The head of the IFS, Paul Johnson, said that the UK "could perfectly reasonably decide that we are willing to pay a bit of a price for leaving the EU and regaining some sovereignty and control over immigration and so on. That there would be some price though, I think is now almost beyond doubt."


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Responses to the referendum campaign, Lawyers
A poll of lawyers conducted by a legal recruiter in late May 2016 suggested 57% of lawyers wanted to remain in the EU.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Responses to the referendum campaign, Lawyers
During a Treasury Committee shortly following the vote, economic experts generally agreed that the leave vote would be detrimental to the UK economy.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Responses to the referendum campaign, Lawyers
Michael Dougan, Professor of European Law and Jean Monnet Chair in EU Law at the University of Liverpool and a constitutional lawyer, described the Leave campaign as "one of the most dishonest political campaigns this country [the UK] has ever seen", for using arguments based on constitutional law that he said were readily demonstrable as false.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Responses to the referendum campaign, NHS officials
Simon Stevens, head of NHS England, warned in May 2016 that a recession following a Brexit would be "very dangerous" for the National Health Service, saying that "when the British economy sneezes, the NHS catches a cold." Three-quarters of a sample of NHS leaders agreed that leaving the EU would have a negative effect on the NHS as a whole. In particular, eight out of 10 respondents felt that leaving the EU would have a negative impact on trusts' ability to recruit health and social care staff. In April 2016, a group of nearly 200 health professionals and researchers warned that the NHS would be in jeopardy if Britain left the European Union. The leave campaign reacted by saying more money would be available to be spent on the NHS if the UK left the EU.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Responses to the referendum campaign, British health charities
Guidelines by the Charity Commission for England and Wales that forbid political activity for registered charities have limited UK health organizations' commentary on EU poll, according to anonymous sources consulted by the Lancet. According to Simon Wessely, head of psychological medicine at the Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London – neither a special revision of the guidelines from 7 March 2016, nor Cameron's encouragement have made health organisations, willing to speak out. The Genetic Alliance UK the Royal College of Midwives the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry and the Chief Executive of the National Health Service had all stated pro-remain positions by early June 2016.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Responses to the referendum campaign, Fishing industry
A June 2016 survey of British fishermen found that 92% intended to vote to leave the EU. The EU's Common Fisheries Policy was mentioned as a central reason for their near-unanimity. More than three-quarters believed that they would be able to land more fish, and 93% stated that leaving the EU would benefit the fishing industry.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Responses to the referendum campaign, Historians
In May 2016, more than 300 historians wrote in a joint letter to The Guardian that Britain could play a bigger role in the world as part of the EU. They said:  "As historians of Britain and of Europe, we believe that Britain has had in the past, and will have in the future, an irreplaceable role to play in Europe." On the other hand, many historians argued in favour of leaving, seeing it as a return to self-sovereignty.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Responses to the referendum campaign, Exit plan competition
Following David Cameron's announcement of an EU referendum, British think tank the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) announced in July 2013 a competition to find the best plan for a UK exit from the European Union, declaring that a departure is a "real possibility" after the 2015 general election. Iain Mansfield, a Cambridge graduate and UKTI diplomat, submitted the winning thesis: A Blueprint for Britain: Openness not Isolation. Mansfield's submission focused on addressing both trade and regulatory issues with EU member states as well as other global trading partners.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Opinion polling
Opinion polls from 2010 onwards suggested the British public were relatively evenly divided on the question, with opposition to EU membership peaking in November 2012 at 56% compared with 30% who prefer to remain in, while in June 2015 those in favour of Britain remaining in the EU reached 43% versus those opposed 36%. The largest ever poll (of 20,000 people, in March 2014) showed the public evenly split on the issue, with 41% in favour of withdrawal, 41% in favour of membership, and 18% undecided. However, when asked how they would vote if Britain renegotiated the terms of its membership of the EU, and the UK Government stated that British interests had been satisfactorily protected, more than 50% indicated that they would vote for Britain to stay in.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Opinion polling
Analysis of polling suggested that young voters tended to support remaining in the EU, whereas those older tend to support leaving, but there was no gender split in attitudes. In February 2016 YouGov also found that euroscepticism correlated with people of lower income and that "higher social grades are more clearly in favour of remaining in the EU", but noted that euroscepticism also had strongholds in "the more wealthy, Tory shires". Scotland, Wales and many English urban areas with large student populations were more pro-EU.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Opinion polling
Big business was broadly behind remaining in the EU, though the situation among smaller companies was less clear-cut. In polls of economists, lawyers, and scientists, clear majorities saw the UK's membership of the EU as beneficial. On the day of the referendum, the bookmaker Ladbrokes offered odds of 6/1 against the UK leaving the EU. Meanwhile, spread betting firm Spreadex offered a Leave Vote Share spread of 45–46, a Remain Vote Share spread of 53.5-54.5, and a Remain Binary Index spread of 80–84.7, where victory for Remain would makeup to 100 and a defeat 0.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Opinion polling, On the day YouGov poll
Shortly after the polls closed at 10 pm on 23 June, the British polling company YouGov released a poll conducted among almost 5,000 people on the day; it suggested a narrow lead for "Remain", which polled 52% with Leave polling 48%. It was later criticised for overestimating the margin of the "Remain" vote, when it became clear a few hours later that the UK had voted 51.9% to 48.1% in favour of leaving the European Union.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Issues
The number of jobs lost or gained by a withdrawal was a dominant issue; the BBC's outline of issues warned that a precise figure was difficult to find. The Leave campaign argued that a reduction in red tape associated with EU regulations would create more jobs and that small to medium-sized companies who trade domestically would be the biggest beneficiaries. Those arguing to remain in the EU, claimed that millions of jobs would be lost. The EU's importance as a trading partner and the outcome of its trade status if it left was a disputed issue.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Issues
Whereas those wanting to stay cited that most of the UK's trade was made with the EU, those arguing to leave say that its trade was not as important as it used to be. Scenarios of the economic outlook for the country if it left the EU were generally negative. The United Kingdom also paid more into the EU budget than it received.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Issues
Citizens of EU countries, including the United Kingdom, have the right to travel, live and work within other EU countries, as free movement is one of the four founding principles of the EU. Campaigners for remaining said that EU immigration had positive impacts on the UK's economy, citing that the country's growth forecasts were partly based upon continued high levels of net immigration. The Office for Budget Responsibility also claimed that taxes from immigrants boost public funding.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Issues
A recent academic paper suggests that migration from Eastern Europe put pressure on wage growth at the lower end of the wage distribution, while at the same time increasing pressures on public services and housing. The Leave campaign believed reduced immigration would ease pressure in public services such as schools and hospitals, as well as giving British workers more jobs and higher wages. According to official Office for National Statistics data, net migration in 2015 was 333,000, which was the second highest level on record, far above David Cameron's target of tens of thousands. Net migration from the EU was 184,000. The figures also showed that 77,000 EU migrants who came to Britain were looking for work.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Issues
After the announcement had been made as to the outcome of the referendum, Rowena Mason, political correspondent for The Guardian offered the following assessment: "Polling suggests discontent with the scale of migration to the UK has been the biggest factor pushing Britons to vote out, with the contest turning into a referendum on whether people are happy to accept free movement in return for free trade." A columnist for The Times, Philip Collins, went a step further in his analysis: "This was a referendum about immigration disguised as a referendum about the European Union."


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Issues
The Conservative MEP (Member of the European Parliament) representing South East England, Daniel Hannan, predicted on the BBC programme Newsnight that the level of immigration would remain high after Brexit. "Frankly, if people watching think that they have voted and there is now going to be zero immigration from the EU, they are going to be disappointed. ... you will look in vain for anything that the Leave campaign said at any point that ever suggested there would ever be any kind of border closure or drawing up of the drawbridge."


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Issues
The EU had offered David Cameron a so-called "emergency brake" which would have allowed the UK to withhold social benefits to new immigrants for the first four years after they arrived; this brake could have been applied for a period of seven years." That offer was still on the table at the time of the Brexit referendum, but expired when the vote determined that the UK would leave the EU.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Issues
The possibility that the UK's smaller constituent countries could vote to remain within the EU but find themselves withdrawn from the EU led to discussion about the risk to the unity of the United Kingdom. Scotland's First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, made it clear that she believed that a second independence referendum would "almost certainly" be demanded by Scots if the UK voted to leave the EU but Scotland did not. The First Minister of Wales, Carwyn Jones, said: "If Wales votes to remain in [the EU] but the UK votes to leave, there will be a... constitutional crisis. The UK cannot possibly continue in its present form if England votes to leave and everyone else votes to stay".


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Issues
There was concern that the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), a proposed trade agreement between the United States and the EU, would be a threat to the public services of EU member states. Jeremy Corbyn, on the Remain side, said that he pledged to veto TTIP in Government. John Mills, on the Leave side, said that the UK could not veto TTIP because trade pacts were decided by Qualified Majority Voting in the European Council.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Issues
There was debate over the extent to which the European Union membership aided security and defence in comparison to the UK's membership of NATO and the United Nations. Security concerns over the union's free movement policy were raised too, because people with EU passports were unlikely to receive detailed checks at border control.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Debates, question and answer sessions, and interviews
A debate was held by The Guardian on 15 March 2016, featuring the leader of UKIP Nigel Farage, Conservative MP Andrea Leadsom, the leader of Labour's "yes" campaign Alan Johnson and former leader of the Liberal Democrats Nick Clegg.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Debates, question and answer sessions, and interviews
Earlier in the campaign, on 11 January, a debate took place between Nigel Farage and Carwyn Jones, who was at the time the First Minister of Wales and leader of the Welsh Labour Party. Reluctance to have Conservative Party members argue against one another has seen some debates split, with Leave and Remain candidates interviewed separately.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Debates, question and answer sessions, and interviews
The Spectator held a debate hosted by Andrew Neil on 26 April, which featured Nick Clegg, Liz Kendall and Chuka Umunna arguing for a remain vote, and Nigel Farage, Daniel Hannan and Labour MP Kate Hoey arguing for a leave vote. The Daily Express held a debate on 3 June, featuring Nigel Farage, Kate Hoey and Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg debating Labour MPs Siobhain McDonagh and Chuka Umunna and businessman Richard Reed, co-founder of Innocent drinks. Andrew Neil presented four interviews ahead of the referendum. The interviewees were Hilary Benn, George Osborne, Nigel Farage and Iain Duncan Smith on 6, 8, 10 and 17 May, respectively.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Debates, question and answer sessions, and interviews
The scheduled debates and question sessions included a number of question and answer sessions with various campaigners. and a debate on ITV held on 9 June that included Angela Eagle, Amber Rudd and Nicola Sturgeon, Boris Johnson, Andrea Leadsom, and Gisela Stuart.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Debates, question and answer sessions, and interviews
EU Referendum: The Great Debate was held at Wembley Arena on 21 June and hosted by David Dimbleby, Mishal Husain and Emily Maitlis in front of an audience of 6,000. The audience was split evenly between both sides. Sadiq Khan, Ruth Davidson and Frances O'Grady appeared for Remain. Leave was represented by the same trio as the ITV debate on 9 June (Johnson, Leadsom and Stuart). Europe: The Final Debate with Jeremy Paxman was held the following day on Channel 4.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Voting, voting areas, and counts
Voting took place from 0700 BST (WEST) until 2200 BST (Same hours CEST in Gibraltar) in 41,000 polling stations across 382 voting areas, with each polling station limited to a maximum of 2,500 voters. The referendum was held across all four countries of the United Kingdom, as well as in Gibraltar, as a single majority vote. The 382 voting areas were grouped into twelve regional counts and there was separate declarations for each of the regional counts.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Voting, voting areas, and counts
In England, as happened in the 2011 AV referendum, the 326 districts were used as the local voting areas and the returns of these then fed into nine English regional counts. In Scotland the local voting areas were the 32 local councils which then fed their results into the Scottish national count, and in Wales the 22 local councils were their local voting areas before the results were then fed into the Welsh national count. Northern Ireland, as was the case in the AV referendum, was a single voting and national count area although local totals by Westminster parliamentary constituency areas were announced.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Voting, voting areas, and counts
Gibraltar was a single voting area, but as Gibraltar was to be treated and included as if it were a part of South West England, its results was included together with the South West England regional count.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Voting, voting areas, and counts
The following table shows the breakdown of the voting areas and regional counts that were used for the referendum.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Disturbances
On 16 June 2016, a pro-EU Labour MP, Jo Cox, was shot and killed in Birstall, West Yorkshire the week before the referendum by a man calling out "death to traitors, freedom for Britain", and a man who intervened was injured. The two rival official campaigns agreed to suspend their activities as a mark of respect to Cox. After the referendum, evidence emerged that Leave.EU had continued to put out advertising the day after Jo Cox's murder. David Cameron cancelled a planned rally in Gibraltar supporting British EU membership. Campaigning resumed on 19 June.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Disturbances
Polling officials in the Yorkshire and Humber region also halted counting of the referendum ballots on the evening of 23 June to observe a minute of silence. The Conservative Party, Liberal Democrats, UK Independence Party and the Green Party all announced that they would not contest the ensuing by-election in Cox's constituency as a mark of respect.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Disturbances
On polling day itself two polling stations in Kingston upon Thames were flooded by rain and had to be relocated. In advance of polling day, concern had been expressed that the courtesy pencils provided in polling booths could allow votes to be later altered. Although this was widely dismissed as a conspiracy theory (see: Voting pencil conspiracy theory), some Leave campaigners advocated that voters should instead use pens to mark their ballot papers. On polling day in Winchester an emergency call was made to police about "threatening behaviour" outside the polling station. After questioning a woman who had been offering to lend her pen to voters, the police decided that no offence was being committed.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Result
The final result was announced on Friday 24 June 2016 at 07:20 BST by then-Electoral Commission Chairwoman Jenny Watson at Manchester Town Hall after all 382 voting areas and the twelve UK regions had declared their totals. With a national turnout of 72% across the United Kingdom and Gibraltar (representing 33,577,342 people), at least 16,788,672 votes were required to win a majority. The electorate voted to "Leave the European Union", with a majority of 1,269,501 votes (3.8%) over those who voted "Remain a member of the European Union".


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Result
The national turnout of 72% was the highest ever for a UK-wide referendum, and the highest for any national vote since the 1992 general election. With the national turnout of 72% being the highest for a UK-wide referendum, this roughly calculates to 38% of the entire UK population wanting to leave the European Union and roughly 35% wanting to remain in the European Union.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Result, Voter demographics and trends
Voting figures from local referendum counts and ward-level data (using local demographic information collected in the 2011 census) suggests that Leave votes were strongly correlated with lower qualifications and higher age. The data were obtained from about one in nine wards in England and Wales, with very little information from Scotland and none from Northern Ireland. A YouGov survey reported similar findings; these are summarised in the charts below.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Result, Voter demographics and trends
Researchers based at the University of Warwick found that areas with "deprivation in terms of education, income and employment were more likely to vote Leave". The Leave vote tended to be greater in areas which had lower incomes and high unemployment, a strong tradition of manufacturing employment, and in which the population had fewer qualifications. It also tended to be greater where there was a large flow of Eastern European migrants (mainly low-skilled workers) into areas with a large share of native low-skilled workers. Those in lower social grades (especially the 'working class') were more likely to vote Leave, while those in higher social grades (especially the 'upper middle class') were more likely to vote Remain.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Result, Voter demographics and trends
Polls by Ipsos-Mori, YouGov and Lord Ashcroft all assert that 70–75% of under 25s voted 'remain'. Additionally according to YouGov, only 54% of 25- to 49-year-olds voted 'remain', whilst 60% of 50- to 64-year-olds and 64% of over-65s voted 'leave', meaning that the support for 'remain' was not as strong outside the youngest demographic. Also, YouGov found that around 87% of under-25s in 2018 would now vote to stay in the EU.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Result, Voter demographics and trends
Opinion polling by Lord Ashcroft Polls found that Leave voters believed leaving the EU was "more likely to bring about a better immigration system, improved border controls, a fairer welfare system, better quality of life, and the ability to control our own laws", while Remain voters believed EU membership "would be better for the economy, international investment, and the UK's influence in the world". Immigration is thought to be a particular worry for older people that voted Leave, who consider it a potential threat to national identity and culture.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Result, Voter demographics and trends
The polling found that the main reasons people had voted Leave were "the principle that decisions about the UK should be taken in the UK", and that leaving "offered the best chance for the UK to regain control over immigration and its own borders". The main reason people voted Remain was that "the risks of voting to leave the EU looked too great when it came to things like the economy, jobs and prices".


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Result, Voter demographics and trends
One analysis suggests that in contrast to the general correlation between age and likelihood of having voted to leave the EU, those who experienced the majority of their formative period (between the ages of 15 to 25) during the Second World War are more likely to oppose Brexit than the rest of the over-65 age group, for they are more likely to associate the EU with bringing peace.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Result, Voter demographics and trends
EU referendum vote by age and education, based on a YouGov survey.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Result, Voter demographics and trends
EU referendum leave vote versus educational attainment (Highest level of qualification for Level 4 qualifications and above) by area for England and Wales.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Reactions to the result, Immediate reaction to the vote, Youth protests and non-inclusion of underage citizens
The referendum was criticised for not granting people younger than 18 years of age a vote. Unlike in the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, the vote was not extended to 16- and 17-year-old citizens. Critics argued that these people would live with the consequences of the referendum for longer than those who were able to vote. Some supporters for the inclusion of these young citizens considered this exclusion a violation of democratic principles and a major shortcoming of the referendum.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Reactions to the result, Immediate reaction to the vote, Increase of applications for passports of other EU countries
The foreign ministry of Ireland stated on 24 June 2016 that the number of applications from the UK for Irish passports had increased significantly. Enquiries about passports also increased: the Irish Embassy in London reported 4,000 a day immediately after the vote to leave, in comparison with the normal 200 a day. Other EU nations also had increases in requests for passports from British citizens, including France and Belgium.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Reactions to the result, Immediate reaction to the vote, Abuse and hate crime allegations
There were more than a hundred reports of racist abuse and hate crime in the immediate aftermath of the referendum, with many citing the plan to leave the European Union. It was claimed that there had been a 57% increase in hate crime following the referendum vote. However, the National Police Chiefs Council Lead for Hate Crime, Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton, said: "This should not be read as a national increase in hate crime of 57% but an increase in reporting through one mechanism".


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Reactions to the result, Immediate reaction to the vote, Abuse and hate crime allegations
Others claimed that the numbers did not necessarily reflect "any objective spread in modern Britain", but that the apparent spike in hate crime was the result of the subjective definition of the crime and that the police being incentivised "to find hatred". In the UK, crimes are recorded as hate crimes based on the perception of the victim.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Reactions to the result, Immediate reaction to the vote, Abuse and hate crime allegations
Assistant Chief Constable Maurice Mason of the Essex police explained that "If the person feels it's a hate crime it'll get recorded as a hate crime", saying that his county's "50% increase in reported hate crimes" post referendum were "low level matters, some members of the public complaining about Nigel Farage or whatever ... that’ll get recorded as a hate crime".


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Reactions to the result, Immediate reaction to the vote, Abuse and hate crime allegations
On 24 June 2016, a Polish school in Cambridgeshire was vandalised with a sign reading "Leave the EU. No more Polish vermin". Following the referendum result, similar signs were distributed outside homes and schools in Huntingdon, with some left on the cars of Polish residents collecting their children from school. On 26 June, the London office of the Polish Social and Cultural Association was vandalised with graffiti that was initially characterised as a racist hate crime.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Reactions to the result, Immediate reaction to the vote, Abuse and hate crime allegations
However it later emerged that the graffiti, which said, 'F*** you OMP’ may have been directed at OMP, a eurosceptic Polish think tank that had issued a statement congratulating Britain on its Brexit vote. This incident was also unsuccessfully investigated by the police. In Wales, a Muslim woman was told to leave after the referendum, even though she had been born and raised in the United Kingdom. Other reports of racism occurred as perceived foreigners were targeted in supermarkets, on buses and on street corners, and told to leave the country immediately. All such incidents were widely condemned by politicians and religious leaders.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Reactions to the result, Immediate reaction to the vote, Abuse and hate crime allegations
By September 2016, it was reported, according to the LGBT anti-violence charity Galop, that attacks on LGBT people in the United Kingdom had risen by 147% in the three months after the referendum. However some gay commentators dismissed the claim of a link between Brexit and an increase in attacks on members of the LGBTQ community.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Reactions to the result, Immediate reaction to the vote, Abuse and hate crime allegations
The killing of a Polish national Arkadiusz Jozwik in Harlow, Essex in August 2016 was widely, but falsely, speculated to be linked to the Leave result. A BBC Newsnight report by John Sweeney showed an interview with someone who knew the victim who then claimed that Leading Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage had "blood on his hands". It was mentioned in the European Parliament by the EU Commissioner Jean-Claude Juncker who said: "We Europeans can never accept Polish workers being harassed, beaten up or even murdered on the streets of Harlow."


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Reactions to the result, Immediate reaction to the vote, Abuse and hate crime allegations
A teenager was subsequently convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to three and a half years in a young offender institution but the trial did not conclude that the altercation resulting in Jozwik's death was a hate crime. Nigel Farage criticised the "sensationalist" reporting of the issue and complained to the BBC about broadcasting the "blood on his hands" remark.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Reactions to the result, Immediate reaction to the vote, Petition for a new referendum
Within hours of the result's announcement, a petition, calling for a second referendum to be held in the event that a result was secured with less than 60% of the vote and on a turnout of less than 75%, attracted tens of thousands of new signatures. The petition had actually been initiated by someone favouring an exit from the EU, one William Oliver Healey of the English Democrats on 24 May 2016, when the Remain faction had been leading in the polls, and had received 22 signatures prior to the referendum result being declared.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Reactions to the result, Immediate reaction to the vote, Petition for a new referendum
On 26 June, Healey made it clear on his Facebook page that the petition had actually been started to favour an exit from the EU and that he was a strong supporter of the Vote Leave and Grassroots Out campaigns. Healey also claimed that the petition had been "hijacked by the remain campaign". English Democrats chairman Robin Tilbrook suggested those who had signed the petition were experiencing "sour grapes" about the result of the referendum. It attracted more than four million signatures, meaning it was considered for debate in Parliament;this debate took place on 5 September 2016.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Reactions to the result, Immediate reaction to the vote, Petition for a new referendum
On 27 June 2016, David Cameron's spokesperson stated that holding another vote on Britain's membership of the European Union was "not remotely on the cards". Home Secretary Theresa May made the following comment when announcing her candidacy to replace Cameron as Conservative leader (and hence as Prime Minister) on 30 June: "The campaign was fought ... and the public gave their verdict. There must be no attempts to remain inside the EU ... and no second referendum. ... Brexit means Brexit." The petition was rejected by the government on 9 July. Its response said that the referendum vote "must be respected" and that the government "must now prepare for the process to exit the EU".


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Reactions to the result, Political, Conservative Party
On 24 June, the Conservative Party leader and Prime Minister David Cameron announced that he would resign by October because the Leave campaign had been successful in the referendum. The leadership election was scheduled for 9 September. The new leader would be in place before the autumn conference set to begin on 2 October. Unexpectedly, Boris Johnson, who had been a leading figure for Vote Leave, declined to be nominated shortly before the deadline for nominations. On 13 July, almost three weeks after the vote, Theresa May succeeded Cameron as Prime Minister.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Reactions to the result, Political, Labour Party
The Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn faced growing criticism from his party, which had supported remaining within the EU, for poor campaigning. On 26 June 2016, Corbyn sacked Hilary Benn (the shadow foreign secretary) for apparently leading a coup against him. This led to a string of Labour MPs quickly resigning their roles in the party. A no confidence motion was held on 28 June; Corbyn lost the motion with more than 80% (172) of MPs voting against him.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Reactions to the result, Political, Labour Party
Corbyn responded with a statement that the motion had no "constitutional legitimacy" and that he intended to continue as the elected leader. The vote did not require the party to call a leadership election but after Angela Eagle and Owen Smith launched leadership challenges to Corbyn, the 2016 Labour Party leadership election was triggered. Corbyn won the contest, with a larger share of the vote than in 2015.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Reactions to the result, Political, UK Independence Party
On 4 July 2016 Nigel Farage stood down as the leader of UKIP, stating that his "political ambition has been achieved" following the result of the referendum. Following the resignation of the elected party leader Diane James, Farage became an interim leader on 5 October 2016. He was succeeded by Paul Nuttall on 28 November 2016.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Reactions to the result, Political, Scottish independence
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said on 24 June 2016 that it was "clear that the people of Scotland see their future as part of the European Union" and that Scotland had "spoken decisively" with a "strong, unequivocal" vote to remain in the European Union. On the same day, the Scottish Government announced that officials would plan for a "highly likely" second referendum on independence from the United Kingdom and start preparing legislation to that effect.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Reactions to the result, Political, Scottish independence
Former First Minister Alex Salmond said that the vote was a "significant and material change" in Scotland's position within the United Kingdom, and that he was certain his party would implement its manifesto on holding a second referendum. Sturgeon said she will communicate to all EU member states that "Scotland has voted to stay in the EU and I intend to discuss all options for doing so."


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Reactions to the result, Political, New political movement
In reaction to the lack of a unified pro-EU voice following the referendum, the Liberal Democrats and others discussed the launch of a new centre-left political movement. This was officially launched on 24 July 2016 as More United.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Reactions to the result, Economy
On the morning of 24 June, the pound sterling fell to its lowest level against the US dollar since 1985. The drop over the day was 8% – the biggest one-day fall in the pound since the introduction of floating exchange rates following the collapse of the Bretton Woods system in 1971.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Reactions to the result, Economy
The FTSE 100 initially fell 8%, then recovered to be 3% down by the close of trading on 24 June. The FTSE 100 index fully recovered by 29 June and subsequently rose above its pre-referendum levels.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Reactions to the result, Economy
The referendum result also had an immediate impact on some other countries. The South African rand experienced its largest single-day decline since 2008, dropping over 8% against the United States dollar. Other countries affected included Canada, whose stock exchange fell 1.70%, Nigeria and Kenya.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Reactions to the result, Economy
On 28 June 2016, former governor of Bank of England Mervyn King said that current governor Mark Carney would help to guide Britain through the next few months, adding that the BOE would undoubtedly lower the temperature of the post-referendum uncertainty, and that British citizens should keep calm, wait and see.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Reactions to the result, Economy
On 5 January 2017, Andy Haldane, chief economist and the executive director of monetary analysis and statistics at the Bank of England, admitted that the bank's forecasts (predicting an economic downturn should the referendum favour Brexit) had proved inaccurate given the subsequent strong market performance. He stated that the bank's models "were rather narrow and fragile [and] ill-equipped to making sense of behaviours that were deeply irrational" and said that his "profession is to some degree in crisis" due to this and the unforeseen 2007–2008 crisis.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Reactions to the result, Electoral Reform Society
In August 2016, the Electoral Reform Society published a highly critical report on the referendum and called for a review of how future events are run. Contrasting it very unfavourably with the 'well-informed grassroots' campaign for Scottish independence, Katie Ghose described it as "dire" with "glaring democratic deficiencies" which left voters bewildered. Ghose noted a generally negative response to establishment figures with 29% of voters saying David Cameron made them more likely to vote leave whereas only 14% said he made them want to vote remain. Looking ahead, the society called for an official organisation to highlight misleading claims and for Office of Communications (Ofcom) to define the role that broadcasters were expected to play.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Reactions to the result, Television coverage
The BBC, ITV and Sky News all provided live coverage of the counts and the reaction to the result. The BBC simulcast their domestic coverage on the BBC World News Channel, BBC One and the BBC News Channel which was presented by David Dimbleby, Laura Kuenssberg and John Curtice. ITV's coverage was presented by Tom Bradby, Robert Peston and Allegra Stratton.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Reactions to the result, Television coverage
The BBC called the referendum result for Leave with its projected forecast at 04:40 BST on 24 June. David Dimbleby announced it with the words:


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Reactions to the result, Television coverage
Well, at twenty minutes to five, we can now say the decision taken in 1975 by this country to join the Common Market has been reversed by this referendum to leave the EU. We are absolutely clear now that there is no way that the Remain side can win. It looks as if the gap is going to be something like 52 to 48, so a four-point lead for leaving the EU, and that is the result of this referendum, which has been preceded by weeks and months of argument and dispute and all the rest of it. The British people have spoken and the answer is: we're out!


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Reactions to the result, Television coverage
(The remark about 1975 was technically incorrect:  the UK had joined the Common Market in 1973 and the 1975 referendum was on whether to remain in it.)


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Investigations into campaigns, Campaign spending
On 9 May 2016, Leave.EU was fined £50,000 by the UK Information Commissioner's Office 'for failing to follow the rules about sending marketing messages': they sent people text messages without having first gained their permission to do so.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Investigations into campaigns, Campaign spending
In February 2017, the Electoral Commission announced that it was investigating the spending of Stronger in and Vote Leave, along with smaller parties, as they had not submitted all the necessary invoices, receipts, or details to back up their accounts. In April 2017, the Commission specified that 'there were reasonable grounds to suspect that potential offences under the law may have occurred' in relation to Leave.EU.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Investigations into campaigns, Campaign spending
On 4 March 2017, the Information Commissioner's Office also reported that it was 'conducting a wide assessment of the data-protection risks arising from the use of data analytics, including for political purposes' in relation to the Brexit campaign. It was specified that among the organisations to be investigated was Cambridge Analytica and its relationship with the Leave.EU campaign.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Investigations into campaigns, Campaign spending
In May 2017, The Irish Times reported that £425,622 donated by the Constitutional Research Council to the Democratic Unionist Party for spending during the referendum may have originated in Saudi Arabia.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Investigations into campaigns, Campaign spending
In November 2017, the Electoral Commission said that it was investigating allegations that Arron Banks, an insurance businessman and the largest single financial supporter of Brexit, violated campaign spending laws. The commission's investigation focuses on both Banks and Better for the Country Limited, a company of which Banks is a director and majority shareholder. The company donated £2.4 million to groups supporting British withdrawal from the EU. The investigation began after the Commission found "initial grounds to suspect breaches of electoral law".


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Investigations into campaigns, Campaign spending
The Commission specifically seeks to determine "whether or not Mr Banks was the true source of loans reported by a referendum campaigner in his name" and "whether or not Better for the Country Limited was the true source of donations made to referendum campaigners in its name, or if it was acting as an agent".


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Investigations into campaigns, Campaign spending
In December 2017, the Electoral Commission announced several fines related to breaches of campaign finance rules during the referendum campaign. The Liberal Democrats were fined £18,000 and Open Britain (formerly Britain Stronger in Europe) paid £1,250 in fines. The maximum possible fine was £20,000.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Investigations into campaigns, Campaign spending
In March 2018, Deutsche Welle reported that Canadian whistleblower Christopher Wylie "told UK lawmakers during a committee hearing...that a firm linked to Cambridge Analytica helped the official Vote Leave campaign [the official pro-Brexit group headed by Boris Johnson and Michael Gove] circumvent campaign financing laws during the Brexit referendum".


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Investigations into campaigns, Campaign spending
In May 2018, the Electoral Commission fined Leave.EU £70,000 for unlawfully overspending by a minimum of £77,380 – exceeding the statutory spending limit by more than 10%, inaccurately reporting three loans it had received from Aaron Banks totalling £6 million including "a lack of transparency and incorrect reporting around who provided the loans, the dates the loans were entered into, the repayment date and the interest rate", and failing to provide the required invoices for "97 payments of over £200, totalling £80,224".


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Investigations into campaigns, Campaign spending
The Electoral Commission's director of political finance and regulation and legal counsel said that the "level of fine we have imposed has been constrained by the cap on the commission's fines". In the same month, the Electoral Commission issued a £2,000 fine to the pro-EU campaign group Best for Our Future Limited; it also fined Unison £1,500 for inaccurately reporting a donation to Best for Our Future and failing to pay an invoice; and it fined GMB £500 for inaccurately reporting a donation to Best for Our Future.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Investigations into campaigns, Campaign spending
In July 2018, the Electoral Commission fined Vote Leave £61,000 for not declaring £675,000 incurred under a common plan with BeLeave, unlawfully overspending by £449,079, inaccurately reporting 43 items of spending totalling £236,501, failing to provide the required invoices for "8 payments of over £200, totalling £12,850", and failing to comply with an investigation notice issued by the commission. Darren Grimes representing BeLeave was fined £20,000, the maximum permitted individual fine, for exceeding its spending limit as an unregistered campaigner by more than £660,000 and delivering an inaccurate and incomplete spending return.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Investigations into campaigns, Campaign spending
Veterans for Britain was also fined £250 for inaccurately reporting a donation it received from Vote Leave. The Electoral Commission referred the matter to the police. On 14 September 2018, following a High Court of Justice case, the court found that Vote Leave had received incorrect advice from the UK Electoral Commission, but confirmed that the overspending had been illegal. Vote Leave subsequently said they would not have paid it without the advice.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Investigations into campaigns, Campaign spending
In February 2019, the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee's 18-month investigation into disinformation and fake news published its final report, calling for and inquiry to establish, in relation to the referendum, "what actually happened with regard to foreign influence, disinformation, funding, voter manipulation, and the sharing of data, so that appropriate changes to the law can be made and lessons can be learnt for future elections and referenda".


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Investigations into campaigns, Speculation about Russian interference
In the run-up to the Brexit referendum, Russian President Vladimir Putin refrained from taking a public position on Brexit, but Prime Minister David Cameron suggested that Russia "might be happy" with a positive Brexit vote, while the Remain campaign accused the Kremlin of secretly backing a "Leave" vote in the referendum. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova denied these allegations, saying that "Russia is blamed for everything. Not only in the UK but all over the world. (...) But Russia has nothing to do with Brexit at all. We're not involved in this process."


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Investigations into campaigns, Speculation about Russian interference
Steve Rosenberg, the Moscow correspondent for BBC News, suggested on 26 June 2016 that the Russian government stood to gain from Brexit in several ways: (1) enabling Russian state media "to contrast post-referendum upheaval and uncertainty abroad with a picture of 'stability' back home and images of a 'strong' President Putin at the helm" in a way that bolstered the ruling United Russia party; (2) to place the value of the British pound under pressure and thereby exact retaliation for sanctions against Russia imposed after its occupation of Crimea; (3) to "make the European Union more friendly towards Russia" in the absence of British membership; and (4) to force the resignation of Cameron, who had been critical of Russian actions. After the referendum result Putin said that Brexit brought "positives and negatives".


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Investigations into campaigns, Speculation about Russian interference
In December 2016, MP Ben Bradshaw speculated in Parliament that Russia may have interfered in the referendum. In February 2017, he called on the GCHQ intelligence service to reveal the information it had on Russian interference. In April 2017, the House of Commons Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Select Committee (PACAC) issued a report suggesting that there were technical indications that a June 2016 crash of the voter-registration website was caused by a distributed denial-of-service attack using botnets. The Cabinet Office, in response, stated that it did not believe that "malign intervention" had caused the crash, and instead attributed the crash "to a spike in users just before the registration deadline".


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Investigations into campaigns, Speculation about Russian interference
In October 2017, MP Damian Collins, chairman of the House of Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, sent a letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg requesting documents relating to possible Russian government manipulation of Facebook during the Brexit referendum and the general election the following year.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Investigations into campaigns, Speculation about Russian interference
In October 2017, a study by researchers at City, University of London was published in the journal Social Science Computer Review. The article identified 13,493 Twitter accounts that posted a total of about 65,000 messages in the last four weeks of the Brexit referendum campaign, the vast majority campaigning for a "Leave" vote; they were deleted shortly after the referendum. A further 26,538 Twitter accounts suddenly changed their username. The research findings "raised questions about the possibility that a coordinated 'bot army' was deployed, and also about the possibility that Twitter itself may have detected and removed them without disclosing the manipulation".


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Investigations into campaigns, Speculation about Russian interference
In November 2017, the Electoral Commission told The Times that it had launched an inquiry to "examine the growing role of social media in election campaigns amid concerns from the intelligence and security agencies that Russia is trying to destabilise the democratic process in Britain". The commission was in contact with Facebook and Twitter as part of the inquiry.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Investigations into campaigns, Speculation about Russian interference
According to Facebook, Russian-based operatives spent 97 cents to place three adverts on the social network in the run-up to the referendum, which were viewed 200 times.


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Investigations into campaigns, Speculation about Russian interference
On 10 June 2018, The Guardian reported that investigators from The Observer had seen evidence that Leave.EU funder Arron Banks had met Russian officials "multiple times" from 2015 to 2017 and had discussed "a multibillion dollar opportunity to buy Russian goldmines".


2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, Investigations into campaigns, Speculation about Russian interference
In July 2020, the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament published a report on Russian interference in British politics, which concluded that the government "had not seen or sought evidence of successful interference in UK democratic processes" and criticised the government for failing to conduct an assessment of Russian attempts to interfere in the Brexit referendum.


2016 United Kingdom budget
The 2016 United Kingdom budget was delivered by George Osborne, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, to the House of Commons on Wednesday, 16 March 2016.


2016 United Kingdom budget
It was the second fully Conservative budget delivered by Osborne, after the July 2015 budget. This was to be Osborne's last budget as Chancellor, as he was replaced by Philip Hammond on 13 July by way of Theresa May's cabinet reshuffle.


2016 United Kingdom budget, Background
In the November 2015 Autumn Statement, the independent Office for Budget Responsibility predicted that the UK economy would grow by 2.4% in 2016.


2016 United Kingdom budget, Reactions
The Leader of the Opposition, Jeremy Corbyn, described the budget as having "unfairness at its very core", singling out cuts to disability benefits and corporate tax for particular criticism. However, he expressed his approval for the introduction of the sugar levy in his House of Commons response.


2016 United Kingdom budget, Reactions
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Iain Duncan Smith, resigned two days after the presentation of the budget, describing planned cuts within his department "as a compromise too far".


2016 United Kingdom elections
United Kingdom elections, 2016 refers to several elections that took place in the United Kingdom on Thursday 5 May 2016, at subnational and local level. Elections on that day are:


2016 United Kingdom floods
In June 2016, parts of the United Kingdom were struck by serious flash floods. Starting on 7 June, thunderstorms caused intense rainfall in many locations across the country, particularly in the north of England and in London, causing repeated flash floods in several locations on a daily basis.


2016 United Kingdom floods
The flooding in the United Kingdom followed further flooding on the European mainland throughout May and June 2016, although the two events were caused by different weather systems.


2016 United Kingdom floods, Timeline of events, 5 June
Approximately 90 minutes of torrential rainfall from 18:30 led to flash flooding across Southport and Birkdale in Merseyside. This resulted in several properties being flooded internally and widespread flooding of the highway.


2016 United Kingdom floods, Timeline of events, 7 June
Strong thunderstorms spawned by unusually warm weather caused heavy rainfall and flash flooding across the south of England, particularly in London, where 35 mm (1.4 inches) of rain was recorded in one hour, over two-thirds of the local average monthly rainfall total for June. The south-east London suburbs of Mitcham, Croydon and Wallington were worst affected, with floodwater up to two metres (6.6 ft) deep recorded on roads in Wallington. The London Fire Brigade received over 100 emergency calls and attended to three incidents of cars being swept away by floods, rescuing one person.


2016 United Kingdom floods, Timeline of events, 7 June
Flooding also led to a loss of electrical power at Luton Airport. In Penicuik in Scotland, a primary school and a leisure centre were flooded as well as numerous homes, with severe hail also being reported. Flash floods were also reported in Dunstable town centre and other areas in Bedfordshire, as well as parts of West Yorkshire.


2016 United Kingdom floods, Timeline of events, 8 June
In London, Covent Garden tube station was flooded, with adverse weather forcing the closure of a platform at London Victoria station, while several bus routes were diverted due to flooded roads. Islington, Clapham and Battersea were the worst affected areas.


2016 United Kingdom floods, Timeline of events, 8 June
Severe flooding was also reported across the West Midlands, particularly in Wolverhampton. West Midlands Metro services were suspended due to flooding in Wednesbury, while flooding at Tame Bridge Parkway forced the suspension of National Rail services between Walsall and Rugeley Trent Valley and flooding between Rowley Regis and Old Hill forced the suspension of services between Birmingham Snow Hill and Stourbridge Junction. Additionally, both the M5 and A38 roads suffered disruption due to flooding.


2016 United Kingdom floods, Timeline of events, 8 June
Greater Manchester was also affected by flooding, particularly in the towns of Oldham, Rochdale and Castleton just after 25 minutes of reported rain. In Middleton, rising floodwaters forced people to abandon their cars, while Middleton Shopping Centre was closed after water began to enter the entrance halls and some shops. Flooding was also reported at Middleton Arena and along the Broadway in Chadderton. The Manchester Arndale was reported flooded as well.


2016 United Kingdom floods, Timeline of events, 8 June
Flash flooding in Windsor forced the evacuation of the Theatre Royal during an opening night performance after water began to enter the auditorium. Flooding was also reported in Sheffield, in Stoke-on-Trent, and in parts of East Sussex.


2016 United Kingdom floods, Timeline of events, 8 June
In Northern Ireland, a lightning strike at a primary school in Lisburn, County Antrim injured three people, including two critically.


2016 United Kingdom floods, Timeline of events, 10 June
Further thunderstorms on 10 June lead to flash flooding mainly across northern England and the Midlands. Severe flooding was reported in parts of South Yorkshire, with Barnsley the worst affected area. in Staincross, numerous cars and a Stagecoach Yorkshire bus became stranded by rising floodwater, while several residential streets were hit by flash flooding in both Staincross and Grimethorpe, affecting dozens of homes. There were also reports of floodwater being contaminated with raw sewage in several areas, with houses being evacuated as they became contaminated.


2016 United Kingdom floods, Timeline of events, 10 June
in Darton, floodwater several feet deep blocked roads around Darton railway station, particularly underneath the railway bridge. Flooding was also reported in Honeywell, Hoyland, Darfield, Birdwell and Worsbrough. There were also reports of flooding in Sheffield, particularly in the north-west of the city. A burst manhole cover caused the entirety of the dual carriageway A61 Penistone Road close to Hillsborough Stadium to become flooded with over a foot of water.


2016 United Kingdom floods, Timeline of events, 10 June
In Nottinghamshire, thirty minutes of intense rainfall led to severe standing water flooding in West Bridgford and Long Eaton, while in Gedling, the Ouse Dyke broke its banks and flooded homes. Flooding also affected settlements across the border in Leicestershire, with heavy rainfall flooding businesses on the High Street in the centre of the village of Syston.


2016 United Kingdom floods, Timeline of events, 10 June
Flooding was also reported in parts of Merseyside and Cheshire, including at Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet and in parts of Liverpool. Emergency services attended a number of flood-related incidents in Ellesmere Port, where flash floods struck the town centre and the suburbs of Little Sutton and Great Sutton, flooding dozens of homes and businesses with water up to a foot deep and forcing evacuations. A local primary school closed early after part of the roof collapsed due to heavy rainfall, and several classrooms were flooded. A sinkhole also opened up on a residential street as a result of the intense rainfall.


2016 United Kingdom floods, Timeline of events, 10 June
In Greater Manchester, parts of Oldham and Rochdale were struck by flash flooding for the second time in three days. Flooding was also reported in parts of Manchester itself. Both the M60 and M62 motorways were flooded, leading to travel disruption. Homes in Ashton under Lyne were flooded with up to a metre of water, and there were also reports of flooding in the Failsworth area of Rochdale.


2016 United Kingdom floods, Timeline of events, 10 June
In the West Midlands, flooding caused disruption in Cannock, including at the Cannock Shopping Centre, which was closed due to flooding in the area. Roads around Cannock railway station were flooded, with two cars becoming stranded.


2016 United Kingdom floods, Timeline of events, 10 June
Minor flooding was also reported at Deeping St Nicholas in Lincolnshire, with five homes affected.


2016 United Kingdom floods, Timeline of events, 11 June
Parts of London were again struck by flash flooding on 11 June. Several feet of water caused flooding in numerous areas, particularly Purley, where cars were left stranded and buses were diverted. Flooding forced the closure of the A23 in south London, causing travel disruption.


2016 United Kingdom floods, Timeline of events, 11 June
In Greater Manchester, flooding was reported in Stockport, Hazel Grove and Offerton, with roads being transformed into rivers. Arriva Rail North train services were suspended between Buxton and Hazel Grove after flooding and landslides affected the Buxton Line railway. Rail replacement buses were provided as a result of the disruption. National Rail later confirmed that the line would remain closed until the end of service on 12 June while urgent repair work was carried out. There were also reports of flooding in Whaley Bridge, with firefighters rescuing one person from their car.


2016 United Kingdom floods, Timeline of events, 11 June
There was further flooding at the Download Festival at Castle Donington, with several feet of water flooding an entire field where hundreds of tents had been set up. Heavy rainfall caused part of the roof of an ASDA supermarket to collapse in Telford as numerous roads were flooded in the town. In Saltney in Cheshire, flooding closed the local High Street as four cars became trapped in floodwater beneath the railway bridge, where there was water several feet deep. There were also reports of floodwater entering several pubs and businesses in Chester.


2016 United Kingdom floods, Timeline of events, 12 June
12 June saw some of the worst flooding to date. There was widespread flooding across Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire, with dozens of homes affected and many people having to be evacuated to emergency shelters by the fire brigade using boats, particularly in Poynton. There were further landslides on the railway line between Stockport and Disley, forcing it to close again just hours after reopening; it was later confirmed that the line would remain closed until at least 19 June while repair work was carried out.


2016 United Kingdom floods, Timeline of events, 12 June
There was also flooding in parts of Gloucestershire, including at Cheltenham Spa railway station and across residential areas of Cheltenham, with disruption to electricity supplies occurring across the county. In Chelmsford in Essex, several homes were flooded with water up to knee depth.


2016 United Kingdom floods, Timeline of events, 12 June
One person was injured during thunderstorms in Bedfordshire after their home in Flitwick was struck by lightning. The Bedfordshire Fire Brigade received over 40 flood-related emergency calls across the county. In Stotfold and Ampthill, a brook burst its banks and a storm drain failed, leading to severe flooding. Flooding also occurred in Cranfield, Barton-le-Clay, Lower Stondon and Lidlington.


2016 United Kingdom floods, Timeline of events, 13 June
Heavy rainfall at the Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet caused draining systems to fail, causing flooding inside numerous stores, with the roof of at least one store partially collapsing inside. Flooding was also reported across Lancashire, particularly in Lancaster and Morecambe, with up to four feet of water blocking roads in places. At least one car was left stranded by the flooding, with emergency services being called out to deal with the incident.


2016 United Kingdom floods, Timeline of events, 13 June
In Hertfordshire, flooding was reported in Letchworth Garden City, Stotfold and Hitchin. The outdoor swimming pool in Letchworth overflowed, while several streams burst their banks, and sewage systems were overwhelmed, flooding areas with raw sewage. The Center Parcs at Woburn Forest in Bedfordshire was also flooded, with seven holiday lodges having to be evacuated.


2016 United Kingdom floods, Timeline of events, 14 June
Heavy rainfall caused serious disruption to rail services across the Midlands. Trains were suspended for several hours between Hednesford and Rugeley Trent Valley due to flooding, affecting London Midland services. There was also serious disruption to London Midland and Chiltern Railways services between Birmingham Snow Hill and Stourbridge Junction due to flooding near The Hawthorns.


2016 United Kingdom floods, Timeline of events, 14 June
In Birmingham, the Bullring and Mailbox shopping centres were forced to close due to flooding, which also affected the Grand Central shopping plaza above Birmingham New Street railway station, with water leaking through the roof and flooding the malls. Bus and Midland Metro services were also affected, while the Bull Ring Indoor Market was forced to close. Flooding was also reported in Erdington, where a car overturned. The M5 motorway was flooded between Junctions 1 and 2. A 'major incident' was declared at Heartlands Hospital after flooding struck the accident and emergency department. Flooding was also reported across West Bromwich, including outside The Hawthorns, although the stadium itself appeared unaffected. There was also flooding in parts of Smethwick and areas in nearby Staffordshire.


2016 United Kingdom floods, Timeline of events, 14 June
Further flooding occurred in Shropshire. Several tornadoes touched down close to Shrewsbury, although it remained over rural areas and caused no reported damage. Flooding was reported in Newport, Telford, Lognor, Ketley and Donnington. There were also reports of flooding in north Wales, particularly in Denbighshire and Wrexham; in Greater Manchester; and in Kettering, Northamptonshire.


2016 United Kingdom floods, Timeline of events, 16 June
Flash flooding due to severe thunderstorms once again brought disruption to the West Midlands transport network. Significant flooding at Lye once again caused London Midland and Chiltern Railways services to be delayed and cancelled between Kidderminster and Birmingham Snow Hill, whilst several bus routes were diverted due to flooding, in particular in the area surrounding the Merry Hill shopping centre, where several shops had been forced to shut due to large amounts of water coming through the ceiling and the bus station was also flooded.


2016 United Kingdom floods, Timeline of events, 23 June
Flash flooding particularly affecting London and South East England, caused widespread transport disruption.


2016 United Kingdom local elections
The 2016 United Kingdom local elections held on Thursday 5 May 2016 were a series of local elections which were held in 124 local councils and also saw 4 mayoral elections in England which also coincided with elections to the Scottish Parliament, the Welsh Assembly, the Northern Ireland Assembly, the London Assembly, the London mayoral election and the England and Wales Police and crime commissioners. By-elections for the Westminster seats of Ogmore and Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough were also held. These proved to be David Cameron's last local elections as leader of the Conservative Party and Prime Minister as he resigned two months later following the defeat of Remain in the referendum on Britain's continuing membership of the European Union which was held seven weeks later.


2016 United Kingdom local elections, Results
As these local elections were held in 124 English councils, out of 418 in the whole of the UK, the BBC calculated a Projected National Vote Share (PNV), which aims to assess what the council results indicate the UK-wide vote would be "if the results were repeated at a general election".


2016 United Kingdom local elections, Results
The BBC's Projected National Vote Share was 31% for Labour, 30% for the Conservatives, 15% for the Liberal Democrats and 12% for UKIP. These results are included in the infobox for this article. Longstanding elections analysts Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher of Plymouth University estimate a National Equivalent Vote (NEV) share, and in 2016 put Labour on 33%, the Conservatives on 31%, the Liberal Democrats on 14% and UKIP on 12%.


2016 United Kingdom local elections, Metropolitan boroughs, Whole metropolitan council
Three of 36 metropolitan boroughs had all of their seats up for election.


2016 United Kingdom local elections, Metropolitan boroughs, Whole metropolitan council, One-third of metropolitan council
32 of 36 metropolitan boroughs had one-third of their seats up for election.


2016 United Kingdom local elections, Unitary authorities, Whole unitary council
3 unitary authorities had all of their seats up for election.


2016 United Kingdom local elections, Unitary authorities, One-third of unitary council
16 unitary authorities had one-third of their seats up for election.


2016 United Kingdom local elections, District Councils, Whole district councils
12 District Councils had all of their seats up for election.


2016 United Kingdom local elections, District Councils, Half of councils
7 non-metropolitan district councils had half of their seats up for election.


2016 United Kingdom local elections, District Councils, One-third of district councils
51 non-metropolitan district councils had one-third of their seats up for election.


2016 United Nations Climate Change Conference
The 2016 United Nations Climate Change Conference was an international meeting of political leaders and activists to discuss environmental issues. It was held in Marrakech, Morocco, on 7–18 November 2016. The conference incorporated the twenty-second Conference of the Parties (COP22), the twelfth meeting of the parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP12), and the first meeting of the parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA1). The purpose of the conference was to discuss and implement plans about combatting climate change and to "[demonstrate] to the world that the implementation of the Paris Agreement is underway". Participants work together to come up with global solutions to climate change.


2016 United Nations Climate Change Conference
The conference was presided over by Salaheddine Mezouar, the Moroccan Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation. Approximately 20,000 participants were expected to attend.


2016 United Nations Climate Change Conference
On 2 May 2016, events firm GL Events signed the service contract. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations also lent its support to the preparation for COP 22.


2016 United Nations Climate Change Conference, Background, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
The participants in the conference are members of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The aim of this convention is to prevent "dangerous human interference with the climate system". It is closely related to both the UN Convention on Biological Diversity and the Convention to Combat Desertification; all three are considered 'Rio Conventions' adopted at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992. There are seven steps that the UNFCCC lists as a "summary of the convention".


2016 United Nations Climate Change Conference, Background, The Kyoto Protocol
The Marrakech Conference is a continuation of regular global summits organised by United Nations following the Kyoto Protocol. The Kyoto Protocol was written in 1997 at COP3, but was not officially adopted until 16 February 2005. It was in effect from 2008 to 2012. It implemented strict regulations to ensure global emission reduction. There are three main mechanisms that a country can utilize to help reduce emissions: international emissions trading, clean development mechanisms, and joint implementation.


2016 United Nations Climate Change Conference, Background, The Kyoto Protocol
The Protocol is also meant to assist countries in adapting to the conditions of climate change. Additionally, the UN Climate Change Secretariat receives reports from Parties, verifies transactions, and holds Parties accountable. The UNFCC considers the Kyoto Protocol a "first step" to climate change resistance.


2016 United Nations Climate Change Conference, Background, The Paris Agreement
The Paris Agreement aims to prevent the rise of global temperatures. This is regulated by reports sent in by the Parties, meant to increase transparency of actions taken by both developing nations and advanced ones. It also has measures to increase countries' ability to adapt to conditions of climate change. The means of change that a country can take are called "nationally determined contributions". NDC's are essentially the efforts that each country will take to reduce their emissions. The period of effect for this agreement began on 4 November 2016. So far, it has been ratified by 132 out of 197 Parties at the convention.


2016 United Nations Climate Change Conference, Background, Preceding COPs, 2009: Copenhagen (COP15)
The Copenhagen Conference was intended to follow on from Kyoto, and culminated in the Copenhagen Accord, a 3-page text laying out common international intentions regarding climate change (reducing greenhouse-gas emissions, limiting global warming to 2 °C and providing 30 billion dollars for 2010–2012). Despite these goals, the conference was generally considered a failure.


2016 United Nations Climate Change Conference, Background, Preceding COPs, 2011: Durban (COP17)
The aim of the Durban Conference was to start negotiations from scratch in order to prepare the path for future negotiations. The Ah Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action was created to "close the ambition gap" that existed between greenhouse-gas emission commitments made by nations and the aim to keep climate change below an increase of 2 °C.


2016 United Nations Climate Change Conference, Background, Preceding COPs, 2014: Lima (COP20)
The priority of the Lima Conference was to redouble efforts to keep to the aim of keeping climate change under an increase of 2 °C between the present day and 2100. The conference opened with a preparatory document on a future COP21 agreement in Paris and by adopting a 37-page text.


2016 United Nations Climate Change Conference, Background, Preceding COPs, 2015: Paris (COP21)
The 195 countries participating in the conference adopted the first worldwide climate agreement, a binding treaty that aims to limit climate change to a temperature increase of under 2 °C.


2016 United Nations Climate Change Conference, Attendees
The convention's attendees can be sorted into one of three categories: parties, observers, or members of the press/media.


2016 United Nations Climate Change Conference, Attendees, Parties
There are three distinct groups that a nation can be placed in if they are considered a "party". These are Annex I, Annex II, and Non-Annex I. The organization of parties decides the level of participation of each country. It determines if the country is required to give financial aid to others, how often they must send reports, and the strictness of regulations in their country. The Annex I title refers to industrialized countries involved in either the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in 1992 or countries in economic transition (EIT).


2016 United Nations Climate Change Conference, Attendees, Parties
Annex II refers to countries in OECD but not EIT. These parties are required to help less advanced countries financially. They are also expected to take extra measures to transition to climate friendly technologies in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Non -Annex countries are developing and particularly vulnerable to climate change due to location, economic situations, or other issues institutionalized into the country. Another title is "least developed countries". This indicates that the nation is limited in their ability to respond to climate change issues. This label indicates to other parties the extra level of support necessary.


2016 United Nations Climate Change Conference, Attendees, Observers
Observer organizations include the United Nations Systems and its specialized agencies, inter-governmental organizations (IGOs), and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Observer organizations must apply and be accepted by the COP to send representatives to any meeting or presentation related to the UNFCCC. NGOs can be businesses, labor unions, research or academic institutes, native populations, gender-affiliated groups, youth groups, environmental activists, farmers, and agriculturists. Around 2,000 NGOs and 100 IGOs were admitted to the 2016 conference. Once an organization is admitted, they do not have to reapply for the following conference. Observers may submit responses, on behalf of their entire organization, relating to topics or mandates within the conference.


2016 United Nations Climate Change Conference, Objectives of COP22
Each COP is meant to cooperatively decide on how to deal with climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, each year a different theme is chosen and focused on. The twenty-second session's main subjects were about water management and decarbonizing energy supplies. COP22 took place on 14 and 15 November during the UNFCCC in Marrakech. The ways in which the Paris Agreement will be applied, as well as the agenda for negotiations, were on the agenda for COP22. Nik Gowing, known as a British journalist, chaired the event.


2016 United Nations Climate Change Conference, Objectives of COP22, African Dimension to COP22
On the margins of COP22, a summit involving "around 30 African heads of state" took place on 16 November 2016 in Marrakesh. This summit focused primarily on climate negotiations, in the backdrop of Africa being the part of the world that is the most threatened by global warming. On a more local note, the city of Marrakesh also took the opportunity to create for itself a greener image; for example, it has provided 300 bicycles for public use as part of a municipal bicycle-sharing scheme.


2016 United Nations Climate Change Conference, Objectives of COP22, Presentation of SuRe – The Standard for Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure
On 14 November, the Swiss Global Infrastructure Basel Foundation (GIB) presented the newly launched SuRe – The Standard for Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure at the Climate Summit for Local and Regional Leaders. GIB participated in a dialogue on "financing the sustainable transition of territories" to contribute to the Marrakech Roadmap for Action definition.


2016 United Nations Climate Change Conference, Objectives of COP22, 14 November, Water Management and Conservation Forum
Detailed issues relating to water transportation, infrastructure in the context of water storage, sustainable distribution, innovation for conservation, and accelerating efforts for new technologies. There were four moderators of the event: Raymond van Ermen, a Belgian member of the European Water Partnership; Masagos Zulkifli, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources of Singapore; Edgar Gutiérrez Espeleta, Minister of Environment and Energy in Costa Rica and President, UNEA; Susan Mboya, the  President of the Coca-Cola Africa Foundation.


2016 United Nations Climate Change Conference, Objectives of COP22, 14 November, Decarbonization of Energy Supplies Keynote Panel
This panel addressed issues about the utilization of renewable resources, how policy can be used to promote renewable energy markets, and how infrastructure can be improved to accommodate these changes. The moderators include Nik Gowing, British journalist; H.E. Fatima Al Foora of the United Arab Emirates; Lord Gregory Baker of the United Kingdom; Andreas Regnell of Sweden, and Jan Rabe from Siemens AG.


2016 United Nations Climate Change Conference, Objectives of COP22, 14 November, Accelerating Urban Mobility Forum
Mobility, especially public transportation, was the main focus of this forum. Members discussed possibilities for sustainable public transportation options that were attractive to the user. The main goal was to innovate ways public transportation could become zero emission. The moderators included Nik Gowing, United Kingdom; Andreas Klugescheid, United States; Lan Marie Nguyen Berg, Norway; Glen R. Murray, Canada; Matt Rodriquez, United States.


2016 United Nations Climate Change Conference, Objectives of COP22, 14 November, Financing Climate Action Closing Keynote Panel
This panel discussed promoting new green products in relation to finance, while also incorporating climate considerations throughout economic systems. The panel members include Eric Usher, Canada; Jochen Flasbarth, Germany; Christian Grossman, Germany; Frederic Samama, France; Mustapha Bakkoury, Morocco; Monica Scatasta, Luxembourg.


2016 United Nations Climate Change Conference, Objectives of COP22, 15 November, Low Carbon Innovation in Emerging Regions Keynote Panel
Parties discussed how low emission technology can be integrated within existing infrastructure, how policymakers can implement technology safely, and how the UNFCCC can aid local businesses in the transition to green energy. The moderators include Janos Pasztor, Hungarian; H.E. Nestor Batio Bassiere, Burkina Faso; Diego Pavia; Mafalda Duarte, United States; Elham Ibrahim, Africa.


2016 United Nations Climate Change Conference, Objectives of COP22, 15 November, Sustainable Business as a Driver of Change
This forum developed ideas on how to create business models that left a minimal carbon footprint on earth. The moderators include Philippe Joubert, Nigeria; Peter Wheeler, UK; Pertti Korhonen, Finland; Paul Simpson, UK; April Crow, US.


2016 United Nations Climate Change Conference, Objectives of COP22, 15 November, Impacting Innovation: Accelerating Green Academic Growth
This forum discussed how new technologies and innovations must showcase environmentally friendly and sustainable attributes. Additionally, they should help create green jobs and also be able to be incorporated into already existing markets. Moderators include Sue Reid, Indonesia;  Paul Isaac Musasizi, Uganda; Eric Olson, US; Yoshioka Tatsuya, Japan.


2016 United Nations Climate Change Conference, Criticisms and setbacks
The inclusion of fossil fuel lobby groups with observer status, including the World Coal Association, the Business Council of Australia, Business Europe, and the Business Roundtable, has been met with criticism. Analysts suggested the election of Donald Trump in the 2016 United States Presidential race impeded efforts at the congress due to his regressive views on climate change. His stance on climate change was not known.


2016 United Nations Climate Change Conference, Criticisms and setbacks
Other criticisms came from environmental campaigners who argued that the Conference was "heavy on rhetoric and light on real progress." The Conference in Paris the year prior was seen as one that provided a foundation for future progress, with the succeeding event in Marrakesh supposed to be turning those promises into action. Additional criticisms depicted the less developed countries as not receiving enough money in order to help them adapt to "changes that are already happening because of global warming."


2016 United Nations General Assembly presidential election
An indirect presidential election was held to choose the President of the United Nations General Assembly on 13 June 2016 to replace Mogens Lykketoft and preside over the Seventy-first session of the United Nations General Assembly. It was the rotational turn of the Asia-Pacific Group to preside over the session. Peter Thomson was elected with 94 votes for and 90 votes against. This was the first time since 2012 that there was no consensus candidate from the regional groupings, thus invoking a secret ballot vote. His tenure begins on 13 September 2016.


2016 United Nations General Assembly presidential election, Background
Though there is usually a consensus candidate from the rotational group which is scheduled to hold the post of president of the United Nations General Assembly, if there is no consensus candidate then a vote is held by secret ballot amongst the entire United Nations General Assembly.


2016 United Nations General Assembly presidential election, Background
The election takes added import as it occurs in a year of the United Nations Secretary-General election.