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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2016/jun/23/eu-referendum-live-decision-day-polls-remain-leave
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| Version 7 | Version 8 |
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| EU referendum polling day: remain and leave neck-and-neck as country votes - live | EU referendum polling day: remain and leave neck-and-neck as country votes - live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 11.43am BST | |
| 11:43 | |
| Sam Jones | |
| Spaniards tend to be very proud Europeans, which is one of the reasons there’s so much interest here in the referendum. | |
| But there’s another very, very strong reason why Spanish eyes are fixed so firmly on the UK today. | |
| As this graphic from the online Spanish newspaper El Español shows, almost a third of the tourists who came to Spain in May were British. Last year, British tourists spent €14bn in Spain - or €444 a second. If Brexit happens, the paper notes, the pound is likely to tumble in value and British holidaymakers will be less happy to splash their cash. The article bears the headline: “The graphic that makes Spanish tourism shake over Brexit”. | |
| 11.40am BST | |
| 11:40 | |
| The LibDems lit up the foot of Edinburgh castle with a Remain messages. | |
| LibDem leader Tim Farron made a final plea to voters. He said: “Today is about the very future of Britain; it’s about the kind of country we want to be: an outward looking, tolerant and progressive nation, leading in Europe. | |
| “But the result today is still on a knife-edge, and we absolutely must not let the likes of Nigel Farage and Michael Gove have their way. The very tone of their campaign should tell us enough about what they would do to our country. | |
| “So that’s why I need you to go to the polls and cast your vote for Remain. I need you to vote with the prosperity and opportunity of our future generations at the forefront of your minds.” | |
| 11.31am BST | |
| 11:31 | |
| Four point lead for Remain on last pre-Referendum poll | |
| In what is believed to be the first ever poll published on polling day, Ipsos Mori gives Remain a four point lead. | |
| The phone survey was completed in the days before the referendum. | |
| EU referendum poll:Remain: 52% (+5)Leave: 48% (-5)(via Ipsos Mori, phone)Excl. DKs. | |
| Mike Smithson, an election analyst at politicalbetting.com points out that all the final phone polls showed Remain in the lead, whereas all but one of the online polls show Leave in the lead. One of the methods was wrong, we just don’t know which yet. | |
| All the phone polls show REMAIN leadsAll but YouGov of the online polls have LEAVE in the lead | |
| 11.23am BST | |
| 11:23 | |
| Elena Cresci | |
| As predicted by Cowley (number three on his list of things to watch), we’re seeing a lot of dogs at polling stations. | |
| Dogs! That's 5/10 already. And it's only 9am. https://t.co/PxAJuObTr9 | |
| Now spotting dogs at polling stations has become Twitter’s favourite pasttime on polling day. This year, as with last year’s general election, #dogsatpollingstations is one of the top trends. | |
| #DogsAtPollingStations #dogmocracyinactionI've done my bit. pic.twitter.com/tEAprpMFQy | |
| Just voted with @BuddyPortsmouth in #EUreferendum #dogsatpollingstations pic.twitter.com/PDYnTk13Vm | |
| 11.20am BST | |
| 11:20 | |
| Ukip leader Nigel Farage joked with reporters that he had been “undecided” how to vote as he arrived at a polling station in a primary school near his home in north Kent. | |
| 11.15am BST | 11.15am BST |
| 11:15 | 11:15 |
| Sam Jones | Sam Jones |
| Spain’s acting prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, has taken an unequivocal line on Brexit, warning earlier this month that a leave vote affect the hundreds of thousands of Britons who live in Spain and “would be very negative for everyone and from every perspective”. | Spain’s acting prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, has taken an unequivocal line on Brexit, warning earlier this month that a leave vote affect the hundreds of thousands of Britons who live in Spain and “would be very negative for everyone and from every perspective”. |
| Divorce from the EU, he stressed, would see British citizens forfeiting the rights to live and work across the continent. | Divorce from the EU, he stressed, would see British citizens forfeiting the rights to live and work across the continent. |
| However, pro-independence politicians in Catalonia – who long for a break with Madrid – are taking a far more nuanced approach. Although most people in Spain are strongly pro-European, Catalan separatists recognise that Brexit could help set a precedent for how the EU deals with a reconfigured Europe. | However, pro-independence politicians in Catalonia – who long for a break with Madrid – are taking a far more nuanced approach. Although most people in Spain are strongly pro-European, Catalan separatists recognise that Brexit could help set a precedent for how the EU deals with a reconfigured Europe. |
| Raül Romeva, the Catalan minister for foreign affairs said: “Catalonia has been following with great interest the debate that is taking place these days in the UK and its possible outcome. British citizens have been given the opportunity to compare all the various points of view before voting freely on what kind of relationship they want their country to have with the European Union. This is beneficial for any democracy: it reinforces it and makes it stronger.” | Raül Romeva, the Catalan minister for foreign affairs said: “Catalonia has been following with great interest the debate that is taking place these days in the UK and its possible outcome. British citizens have been given the opportunity to compare all the various points of view before voting freely on what kind of relationship they want their country to have with the European Union. This is beneficial for any democracy: it reinforces it and makes it stronger.” |
| Whatever the result, adds Romeva, the referendum has shown that citizens are “free to decide on their sovereignty in a democratic way”. | Whatever the result, adds Romeva, the referendum has shown that citizens are “free to decide on their sovereignty in a democratic way”. |
| “Europe has always adapted itself to new realities. We have seen it in the past, we will see it now with the United Kingdom and we will continue to see it in the case of Catalonia.” | “Europe has always adapted itself to new realities. We have seen it in the past, we will see it now with the United Kingdom and we will continue to see it in the case of Catalonia.” |
| Catalonia’s regional president, Carles Puigdemont, recently told the Guardian that he saw many parallels between the rhetoric deployed by the Remain campaign and language used to counter moves towards Catalan independence. | Catalonia’s regional president, Carles Puigdemont, recently told the Guardian that he saw many parallels between the rhetoric deployed by the Remain campaign and language used to counter moves towards Catalan independence. |
| “We have also suffered campaigns of fear,” he said. “I remember when the banks started issuing their opinions. They treated us as if we were not grown-ups and said a whole lot of lies.” | “We have also suffered campaigns of fear,” he said. “I remember when the banks started issuing their opinions. They treated us as if we were not grown-ups and said a whole lot of lies.” |
| Puigdemont also downplayed suggestions that the UK’s departure from the EU would tear apart the union, saying: “The EU will make an extraordinary display of political realism, and an admirable, Darwinian ability to adapt.” | Puigdemont also downplayed suggestions that the UK’s departure from the EU would tear apart the union, saying: “The EU will make an extraordinary display of political realism, and an admirable, Darwinian ability to adapt.” |
| 11.08am BST | 11.08am BST |
| 11:08 | 11:08 |
| Google Trends has been looking at what UK internet users have been searching for in connection with the referendum. | Google Trends has been looking at what UK internet users have been searching for in connection with the referendum. |
| The top issues by local authority revealed that ‘immigration’ (in red) was very prominent all over the country, but so too was the ‘NHS’ and the search term ‘Expats’. ‘Trade’ and the ‘economy’ were less prevalent. | The top issues by local authority revealed that ‘immigration’ (in red) was very prominent all over the country, but so too was the ‘NHS’ and the search term ‘Expats’. ‘Trade’ and the ‘economy’ were less prevalent. |
| 10.58am BST | 10.58am BST |
| 10:58 | 10:58 |
| The leave campaign has covered more of provincial and rural England in its efforts to persuade Britons to quit the EU, while the remain side has concentrated on urban centres. | The leave campaign has covered more of provincial and rural England in its efforts to persuade Britons to quit the EU, while the remain side has concentrated on urban centres. |
| Analysis by the Guardian, which pinpoints campaign stops made by four prominent campaigners on either side of the debate in the five weeks to 16 June, shows the leave side has largely ignored Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, while the remain camp has been absent in a large swath of eastern England. | Analysis by the Guardian, which pinpoints campaign stops made by four prominent campaigners on either side of the debate in the five weeks to 16 June, shows the leave side has largely ignored Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, while the remain camp has been absent in a large swath of eastern England. |
| For the analysis the Guardian looked at the itineraries of four campaigners on the remain side: prime minister David Cameron, chancellor George Osborne, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and shadow first secretary of state Angela Eagle and, on the leave side, Conservative MPs Boris Johnson and Michael Gove, Ukip leader Nigel Farage and Labour MP Gisela Stuart. | For the analysis the Guardian looked at the itineraries of four campaigners on the remain side: prime minister David Cameron, chancellor George Osborne, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and shadow first secretary of state Angela Eagle and, on the leave side, Conservative MPs Boris Johnson and Michael Gove, Ukip leader Nigel Farage and Labour MP Gisela Stuart. |
| It also shows that both sides have, in the main, chosen to campaign in areas broadly supportive of their respective views. In north-west England, for example, the remain campaigners have concentrated on the larger urban centres, Liverpool and Manchester, both of which are rated “relatively Europhile” by YouGov. | It also shows that both sides have, in the main, chosen to campaign in areas broadly supportive of their respective views. In north-west England, for example, the remain campaigners have concentrated on the larger urban centres, Liverpool and Manchester, both of which are rated “relatively Europhile” by YouGov. |
| Related: Split vote: EU referendum campaigns target heartland supporters | Related: Split vote: EU referendum campaigns target heartland supporters |
| 10.53am BST | 10.53am BST |
| 10:53 | 10:53 |
| Looking a little quiet on the Isles of Scilly at the moment. | Looking a little quiet on the Isles of Scilly at the moment. |
| Can't wait?Scilly is aiming to be first in the UK to return the #referendum vote today We are racing Sunderland RT pic.twitter.com/zDOlO9cmFk | Can't wait?Scilly is aiming to be first in the UK to return the #referendum vote today We are racing Sunderland RT pic.twitter.com/zDOlO9cmFk |
| Scilly Sergeant Colin Taylor is making sure there’s no foul play in the far south west of Britain. | Scilly Sergeant Colin Taylor is making sure there’s no foul play in the far south west of Britain. |
| The Isles of Scilly could be one of the first places to have a result. Usually at elections ballot boxes are taken to the mainland for counting but for the referendum it will be done on St Mary’s. Only 1,700 voters so it shouldn’t take that long. | The Isles of Scilly could be one of the first places to have a result. Usually at elections ballot boxes are taken to the mainland for counting but for the referendum it will be done on St Mary’s. Only 1,700 voters so it shouldn’t take that long. |
| 10.51am BST | 10.51am BST |
| 10:51 | 10:51 |
| Graeme Wearden | Graeme Wearden |
| Over in the City, shares have hit their highest level since late April as investors remain glued to the EU referendum vote. | Over in the City, shares have hit their highest level since late April as investors remain glued to the EU referendum vote. |
| The FTSE 100 index of blue-chip shares jumped by 1.5% to a two-month high, before dipping back a little, as Brits headed to the polling booths. Mining stocks and financial firms are among the risers. | The FTSE 100 index of blue-chip shares jumped by 1.5% to a two-month high, before dipping back a little, as Brits headed to the polling booths. Mining stocks and financial firms are among the risers. |
| Traders have been watching the EU referendum closely for weeks, and many will be working through the night as the results come in. | Traders have been watching the EU referendum closely for weeks, and many will be working through the night as the results come in. |
| Yesterday, UBS bank predicted that £350bn would be wiped off leading shares if the Leave campaign won. | Yesterday, UBS bank predicted that £350bn would be wiped off leading shares if the Leave campaign won. |
| The pound is also rallying this morning, hitting a six-month high of $1.4851 against the US dollar. Analysts have forecast that it could plunge to $1.30 after a Brexit victory. | The pound is also rallying this morning, hitting a six-month high of $1.4851 against the US dollar. Analysts have forecast that it could plunge to $1.30 after a Brexit victory. |
| Our business liveblog has more details: | Our business liveblog has more details: |
| Related: Pound and shares soar as investors await EU referendum result – business live | Related: Pound and shares soar as investors await EU referendum result – business live |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 10.51am BST | at 10.51am BST |