Sunderland has voted to leave the EU by a larger margin than expected, with 61 per cent voting to leave and 39 per cent voting to remain in the European Union.
The value of Sterling dropped sharply by around 3 per cent on the markets in an instant reaction to the Sunderland result, as traders took on board the possibility of a strong result for Leave.
Leave was expected to win Sunderland by six points, but in fact won by 22, according to Ben Riley-Smith, political correspondent for the Telegraph.
The turnout in Sunderland was 65 per cent and the result follows a vote for Remain in Newcastle which was narrower than expected at 51 per cent to Remain against 49 per cent to Leave.
Nigel Farage described the Sunderland result as “fantastic” and Newcastle as “amazing” for Leave, telling Sky News: “It's clearly very tight [but] I think Remain might just nick it.”
Delighted Leave supporters drowned out the regional counting officer in Sunderland as she announced their big win in the city.
They hugged and cheered as Sue Stanhope made the announcement at the tennis centre in Silksworth, where the count had been conducted with the usual efficiency.
From the 134,400 votes cast, Leave received 82,394 and Remain polled 51,930.
Sunderland prides itself on running a slick operation to count votes, and its three constituencies were the first to declare at the last general election. The city uses students to run the ballot boxes to the tables of counters, many of whom are bank tellers used to quickly handling cash.
EU referendum - in pictures
Show all 18
EU referendum - in pictures
1/18
A woman in a wheelchair with British and European Union flags shows her support for the United Kingdom to remain in the European Union on the day of the EU Referendum in Gibraltar
Getty Images
2/18
A polling station being used in the EU referendum at Batley Town Hall in the constituency Labour MP Jo Cox
PA
3/18
People arrive to vote in the EU Referendum at the Library where British MP Jo Cox was shot and fatally wounded last week in Birstall
EPA
4/18
A man arrives to vote at a polling station for the Referendum on the European Union in north London
REUTERS
5/18
Voters queue to enter a polling station at Trinity Church in Golders Green in London
Getty Images
6/18
British Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha Cameron leave after voting in the EU Referendum at Central Methodist Hall, Westminster
Getty Images
7/18
Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn cast his vote at a polling station at Pakeman Primary School in Islington
Getty Images
8/18
Chelsea pensioners arrive at a polling station near to the Royal Chelsea Hospital
PA
9/18
A woman wearing an "I'm In" t-shirt, promoting the official "Remain" campaign, leaves a polling station in London
AFP/Getty Images
10/18
People queuing outside a polling station on Amott Road in London
PA
11/18
Scotland's First Minister and Leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP), Nicola Sturgeon and her husband Peter Murrell, react as leave after casting their votes at a polling station at Broomhouse Community Hall in east Glasgow
AFP/Getty Images
12/18
A man wearing a European themed cycling jersey leaves after voting at a polling station for the Referendum on the European Union in north London
REUTERS
13/18
Ukip leader Nigel Farage arrives to cast his vote at Cudham Church of England Primary School in Biggin Hill, Kent
PA
14/18
Justice Secretary and prominent 'Vote Leave' campaigner Michael Gove poses with his wife Sarah Vine after voting in the European Union referendum at their local polling station in Kensington
Getty
15/18
Nuns leave a polling station after voting in the EU Referendum in London
EPA
16/18
People arrive to cast their ballots in the EU Referendum in Gibraltar. The United Kingdom and its dependant territories are going to the polls to decide whether or not the the United Kingdom will remain in the European Union
Getty Images
17/18
A man driving a van covered in stickers urging people to vote for the United Kingdom to remain in the European Union drives outside a polling station on the day of the EU Referendum in Gibraltar
Getty Images
18/18
A sign on a gable wall in Belfast's, Loyalist Tigers Bay urging voters to leave the EU using scripture from Revelation 18:4, as voters head to the polls across the UK in a historic referendum on whether the UK should remain a member of the European Union or leave
PA
1/18
A woman in a wheelchair with British and European Union flags shows her support for the United Kingdom to remain in the European Union on the day of the EU Referendum in Gibraltar
Getty Images
2/18
A polling station being used in the EU referendum at Batley Town Hall in the constituency Labour MP Jo Cox
PA
3/18
People arrive to vote in the EU Referendum at the Library where British MP Jo Cox was shot and fatally wounded last week in Birstall
EPA
4/18
A man arrives to vote at a polling station for the Referendum on the European Union in north London
REUTERS
5/18
Voters queue to enter a polling station at Trinity Church in Golders Green in London
Getty Images
6/18
British Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha Cameron leave after voting in the EU Referendum at Central Methodist Hall, Westminster
Getty Images
7/18
Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn cast his vote at a polling station at Pakeman Primary School in Islington
Getty Images
8/18
Chelsea pensioners arrive at a polling station near to the Royal Chelsea Hospital
PA
9/18
A woman wearing an "I'm In" t-shirt, promoting the official "Remain" campaign, leaves a polling station in London
AFP/Getty Images
10/18
People queuing outside a polling station on Amott Road in London
PA
11/18
Scotland's First Minister and Leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP), Nicola Sturgeon and her husband Peter Murrell, react as leave after casting their votes at a polling station at Broomhouse Community Hall in east Glasgow
AFP/Getty Images
12/18
A man wearing a European themed cycling jersey leaves after voting at a polling station for the Referendum on the European Union in north London
REUTERS
13/18
Ukip leader Nigel Farage arrives to cast his vote at Cudham Church of England Primary School in Biggin Hill, Kent
PA
14/18
Justice Secretary and prominent 'Vote Leave' campaigner Michael Gove poses with his wife Sarah Vine after voting in the European Union referendum at their local polling station in Kensington
Getty
15/18
Nuns leave a polling station after voting in the EU Referendum in London
EPA
16/18
People arrive to cast their ballots in the EU Referendum in Gibraltar. The United Kingdom and its dependant territories are going to the polls to decide whether or not the the United Kingdom will remain in the European Union
Getty Images
17/18
A man driving a van covered in stickers urging people to vote for the United Kingdom to remain in the European Union drives outside a polling station on the day of the EU Referendum in Gibraltar
Getty Images
18/18
A sign on a gable wall in Belfast's, Loyalist Tigers Bay urging voters to leave the EU using scripture from Revelation 18:4, as voters head to the polls across the UK in a historic referendum on whether the UK should remain a member of the European Union or leave
PA
Ukip MEP Diane James said the large win for Leave in Sunderland could be down to anger over the local Nissan car plant writing to employees to make clear the company would prefer Britain to stay in the EU.
She told BBC News: “Nissan, I believe, was one of those companies that was effectively asked by the Prime Minister to write a letter to the employees and I think what you're seeing here is the reaction to that, which I understand has been quite widespread across the country where people have actually taken offence at being directed to do something and then seemingly that whole message has been undermined in the later stage.”
Subscribe to Independent Premium to debate the big issues
Want to discuss real-world problems, be involved in the most engaging discussions and hear from the journalists? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Independent Premium Comments can be posted by members of our membership scheme, Independent Premium.
It allows our most engaged readers to debate the big issues, share their own experiences, discuss
real-world solutions, and more. Our journalists will try to respond by joining the threads when
they can to create a true meeting of independent Premium. The most insightful comments on all subjects
will be published daily in dedicated articles. You can also choose to be emailed when someone replies
to your comment.
The existing Open Comments threads will continue to exist for those who do not subscribe to
Independent Premium. Due to the sheer scale of this comment community, we are not able to give each post
the same level of attention, but we have preserved this area in the interests of open debate. Please
continue to respect all commenters and create constructive debates.
Comments
Share your thoughts and debate the big issues
Please be respectful when making a comment and adhere to our Community Guidelines.
You can find our Community Guidelines in full here.
-
Newest first
-
Oldest first
-
Most liked
{{/moreThanOne}}Please be respectful when making a comment and adhere to our Community Guidelines.
You can find our Community Guidelines in full here.
-
Newest first
-
Oldest first
-
Most liked
{{/moreThanOne_p}}Follow comments
Vote
Report Comment
Subscribe to Independent Premium to debate the big issues
Want to discuss real-world problems, be involved in the most engaging discussions and hear from the journalists? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Already registered? Log inReport Comment
Delete Comment
About The Independent commenting
Independent Premium Comments can be posted by members of our membership scheme, Independent Premium. It allows our most engaged readers to debate the big issues, share their own experiences, discuss real-world solutions, and more. Our journalists will try to respond by joining the threads when they can to create a true meeting of independent Premium. The most insightful comments on all subjects will be published daily in dedicated articles. You can also choose to be emailed when someone replies to your comment.
The existing Open Comments threads will continue to exist for those who do not subscribe to Independent Premium. Due to the sheer scale of this comment community, we are not able to give each post the same level of attention, but we have preserved this area in the interests of open debate. Please continue to respect all commenters and create constructive debates.