"Good morning everyone, the country has just
taken part in a giant democratic exercise, perhaps the biggest in our history. Over
33 million people from England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Gibraltar
have all had their say.
We should be proud of the fact that in
these islands we trust the people for these big decisions.
We not only have a parliamentary democracy,
but on questions about the arrangements for how we've governed there are times
when it is right to ask the people themselves and that is what we have done. The
British people have voted to leave the European Union and their will must be
respected.
I want to thank everyone who took part in
the campaign on my side of the argument, including all those who put aside
party differences to speak in what they believe was the national interest and
let me congratulate all those who took part in the Leave campaign for the
spirited and passionate case that they made.
The will of the British people is an
instruction that must be delivered. It was not a decision that was taken
lightly, not least because so many things were said by so many different
organisations about the significance of this decision.
So there can be no doubt about the result.
Across the world people have been watching
the choice that Britain has made. I would reassure those markets and investors
that Britain's economy is fundamentally strong and I would also reassure
Britons living in European countries and European citizens living here there
will be no immediate changes in your circumstances. There will be no initial
change in the way our people can travel, in the way our goods can move or the
way our services can be sold.
We must now prepare for a negotiation with
the European Union. This will need to involve the full engagement of the
Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland governments to ensure that the interests
of all parts of our United Kingdom are protected and advanced.
But above all this will require strong,
determined and committed leadership. I'm very proud and very honoured to have
been Prime Minister of this country for six years. I believe we've made great steps, with more
people in work than ever before in our history, with reforms to welfare and
education, increasing people's life chances, building a bigger and stronger
society, keeping our promises to the poorest people in the world and enabling
those who love each other to get married whatever their sexuality, but above
all restoring Britain's economic strength.
And I'm grateful to everyone who's helped
to make that happen. I have also always believed that we have to confront big
decisions, not duck them. That is why we delivered the first coalition
government in 70 years, to bring our economy back from the brink. It's why we
delivered a fair, legal and decisive referendum in Scotland.
And it's why I made the pledge to
renegotiate Britain's position in the European Union and to hold the referendum
on our membership and have carried those things out.
I fought this campaign in the only way I
know how, which is to say directly and passionately what I think and feel—head,
heart and soul. I held nothing back, I was absolutely clear about my belief
that Britain is stronger, safer and better off inside the European Union and I
made clear the referendum was about this and this alone—not the future of any
single politician including myself.
But the British people have made a very
clear decision to take a different path and as such I think the country
requires fresh leadership to take it in this direction.
I will do everything I can as Prime
Minister to steady the ship over the coming weeks and months but I do not think
it would be right for me to try to be the captain that steers our country to
its next destination. This is not a decision I've taken lightly but I do
believe it's in the national interest to have a period of stability and then
the new leadership required.
There is no need for a precise timetable
today but in my view we should aim to have a new prime minister in place by the
start of the conservative Party conference in October.
Delivering stability will be important and
I will continue in post as Prime Minister with my Cabinet for the next three
months.
The Cabinet will meet on Monday, the
Governor of the Bank of England is making a statement about the steps that the
Bank and the Treasury are taking to reassure financial markets. We will also
continue taking forward the important legislation that we set before Parliament
in the Queen's Speech. And I have spoken to Her Majesty the Queen this morning
to advise her of the steps that I am taking.
A negotiation with the European Union will
need to begin under a new prime minister and I think it's right that this new
prime minister takes the decision about when to trigger Article 50 and start
the formal and legal process of leaving the EU.
I will attend the European Council next
week to explain the decision the British people have taken and my own decision.
The British people have made a choice, that
not only needs to be respected but those on the losing side of the argument—myself
included—should help to make it work. Britain is a special country—we have so
many great advantages—a parliamentary democracy where we resolve great issues
about our future through peaceful debate, a great trading nation with our
science and arts, our engineering and our creativity, respected the world over.
And while we are not perfect I do believe
we can be a model for the multi-racial, multi-faith democracy, that people can
come and make a contribution and rise to the very highest that their talent
allows.
Although leaving Europe was not the path I
recommended, I am the first to praise our incredible strengths. I said before that Britain can survive
outside the European Union and indeed that we could find a way. Now the
decision has been made to leave, we need to find the best way and I will do
everything I can to help. I love this country and I feel honoured to have
served it and I will do everything I can in future to help this great country
succeed. Thank you very much."
Delivering stability will be important... Now the decision has been made to leave, we need to find the best way and I will do everything I can to help.
That's how you do it as a politician if you
lose and you really do love your country. Take a leaf, Bernie Sanders.
The photo of David Cameron is from 10 Downing Street website.
