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In a historic development, the UK has voted to leave the European Union after 43 years as the 'Brexit' camp today took a seemingly unassailable lead over the 'Remain' camp in a down-to-wire referendum with far reaching implications for the world. 52 per cent of the Britons in yesterday's vote favoured leaving the 28-member EU, while 48 per cent supported staying in the bloc, according to a BBC forecast after counting of 70 per cent of votes.

The national broadcaster said that the trends indicated that the Remain side spearheaded by Prime Minister David Cameron could not regain from this position and the 52-48 per cent count in favour of Brexit is likely to be the final verdict of the British voters.

The final national result is to be officially declared by the UK Electoral Commission's chief counting officer Jenny Watson from Manchester Town Hall. "... Dawn is breaking on an independent United Kingdom' June 23 will be our Independence Day," far-right UK Independence Party (UKIP) leader Nigel Farage said, while declaring victory.

London and Scotland voted strongly to stay in the EU but the remain vote has been undermined by poor results in the north of England, it said. Voters in Wales and the English shires have backed Brexit in large numbers.