The UK has voted to Leave the European Union – and almost three-quarters of the South Holland electorate who voted did the same.
The district’s Leave proportion of the vote was 73.6 per cent – narrowly the second highest in the country behind neighbouring authority Boston (75.6 per cent).
The result has been embraced by Conservative MP for South Holland and the Deepings John Hayes (pictured) – a well-documented Eurosceptic.
Speaking from his bed at 6am on Friday (June 24) after retiring following a momentous night, he said: “It’s a great day for our country.
“After a lot of work by a lot of people, the people have spoken clearly with a single and clear voice and the people of South Holland have led the way.”
The outcome has been widely seen as a shock but Leave campaigner Mr Hayes claims he had called the result about ten days earlier.
He said: “I told people locally and in London that we would win.
“All my academic senses said Remain might win because people might be more frightened than they were hopeful – that it might be the safer option – but then all the people I met – across the country, not just in South Holland – everyone I spoke to was voting Out and suddenly I realised there was a massive popular movement.”
He added: “It’s going to be an exciting time, it’s going to be challenging for us but it’s the right decision – something I’ve campaigned for since I was a schoolboy.
“Now there’s the challenge to make this happen. This will mean us disentangling ourselves from all sorts of EU red tape and I hope to help with that as part of the Government.”
Before the referendum outcome was known and Prime Minister David Cameron had announced his decision to stand down, Mr Hayes was one of 84 Brexit Conservative MPs to sign a letter to Mr Cameron telling him that he had their support and a mandate to continue.
Thursday was Mr Hayes’ 58th birthday and he joked that it would be one which he remembers forever: “My birthday has become independence day for Britain!”
Result in South Holland:
Remain 13,074; Leave 36,423
The turnout of 49,518 was 75.4 per cent.
