• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Why did a $154 billion CEO just endorse stripping most Americans of voting rights—and taking us back to the 19th century?

2

A Nobel economist challenged Elon Musk to donate his entire $1T fortune by 2036. Musk's reply: 'I am actually going to do something along these lines'

3

The millennial generation is split in 2: an older crowd with boomer-style comfort, a younger set going 'back to the early 1900s'

1

Why did a $154 billion CEO just endorse stripping most Americans of voting rights—and taking us back to the 19th century?

2

A Nobel economist challenged Elon Musk to donate his entire $1T fortune by 2036. Musk's reply: 'I am actually going to do something along these lines'

3

The millennial generation is split in 2: an older crowd with boomer-style comfort, a younger set going 'back to the early 1900s'
LeadershipBrexit

These Are the Winners and Losers of Britain’s Historic Vote to Leave the EU

Claire Zillman
By
Claire Zillman
Claire Zillman
Editor, Leadership
Down Arrow Button Icon
Claire Zillman
By
Claire Zillman
Claire Zillman
Editor, Leadership
Down Arrow Button Icon
June 24, 2016, 8:22 AM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Britain’s historic decision to break from the European Union in its Brexit vote prompted nothing short of chaos Friday morning as U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron announced his resignation, Scotland First Minister Nicola Sturgeon hinted at another referendum vote for independence from the U.K., and global markets spun into a tizzy.

What happens next is just as confusing as it could take years for the U.K. to step away from the bloc and redraw its trade and political ties to Europe and the rest of the world.

But for now there are clear winners and losers of Friday’s stunning decision.

—Winners—

Former London Mayor Boris Johnson was one of the loudest voices calling for the U.K. to exit the EU. On Friday he said the Leave’s victory signaled “the British people [speaking] up for democracy.” Above all else, he said, the vote means Britain “can find our voice in the world again—a voice commensurate with the fifth biggest economy in the world.” (Because of the pound’s decline Friday, the U.K. is now the sixth largest economy behind France.) Johnson should be ecstatic Friday not just because his side won but also because it could propel him to Prime Minister. He’s now the favorite to succeed Cameron.

Nigel Farage, leader of Britain’s UKIP party who’s built his political career around advocating for Britain to exit the EU, said that Friday should be deemed “Independence Day” because of the vote results. Farage said Eurosceptics have often been dismissed as “fringey” but now:”The Eurosceptic genie is out of the bottle and will not be put back.” The trouble for Farage is, now that the U.K. is “independent” again, what is the point of a U.K. Independence Party?

In a visit to his golf course in Scotland, Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on Friday praised the Brexit vote, saying it indicates the British people “taking back their country.” The businessman had previously supported the idea of the U.K. breaking ties with the political bloc because, he said, “migration has been a horrible thing for Europe.” The Leave campaign’s victory also gives Trump’s campaign more impetus because it proves that a sharp finger in the eye for the establishment and globalization is—to the horror of that establishment elite—a winning formula.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is seen as one—and perhaps the only—world leader who supported the U.K.’s departure from the EU. He never officially endorsed the idea, but messages from the Russian Embassy in Britain and the programming of Russia Today seemed to indicate that the Kremlin was pulling for a leave vote. That’s because Russia would benefit from the weakening of the European Union, finding it easier to play its various members against each other. The EU has sanctioned the country following its invasion of neighboring Ukraine, and the U.K. was one of the most hawkish advocates of those measures.

Europe’s far right movement outside the EU interpreted Britain’s vote to leave the EU as validation of their own efforts to do the same. Marine Le Pen, who’s vying to be France’s next president on an anti-Europe and anti-immigration platform, said Friday, “Like a lot of French people, I’m very happy that the British people held on and made the right choice. What we thought was impossible yesterday has now become possible.” Geert Wilders, leader of the Dutch far-right and anti-immigration movement, called for a referendum on the Netherlands’ own membership in the EU. “Now it’s our turn. I think the Dutch people must now be given the chance to have their say in a referendum,” he said. Greece’s Neo-Nazi Party Golden Dawn was also overjoyed, welcoming what it called “the brave decision of the British people to deny the ‘crows’ of Brussels and the financial oligarchy of Germany.”

—Losers—

In the early hours of Friday, U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron emerged as the single biggest loser of the Brexit vote as his gamble on the referendum blew up in spectacular fashion. He’s torched his political career and legacy, devalued Britain’s relationship with America, and most likely hastened the breakup of his own country. Cameron said Friday morning that he would resign since the British electorate decisively dismissed his pro-EU stance. “The British people have made the very clear decision to take a different path and as such I think the country requires fresh leadership to take it in this direction,” he said in his resignation speech. “I will do everything I can as Prime Minister to steady the ship in coming months, but I do not think it would be right for me to captain that ship.”

Global markets endured a beating as the Leave’s victory became clear. The pound plummeted more than 10%, and at one point dropped to its lowest level in more than 30 years as its faced its worst one-day loss ever (making the U.K. economy for now the world’s sixth-biggest economy, after being no. 5 when it went to bed). The fallout spread beyond the British Isles as U.S. stock futures promised to open sharply lower. Dow Jones industrial average futures alone predicted that the gauge could open down nearly 650 points when stocks start trading on Friday, which would be the sixth worst daily point dive in Dow history.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel was Cameron’s main negotiating partner when he sought to reform the U.K.’s relationship with the EU in February before scheduling the referendum. She gave Cameron some concessions but arguably could have done more to quell the U.K.’s concerns about the influx of immigrants due to the EU’s principle of free movement. Failing to do so means Merkel woke up Friday to a demoralized European Union and the reality that, as Britain departs the bloc, Germany will have to shoulder a larger share of the EU budget. It also has more than any other EU country to lose from access to the market of the U.K., with which it ran a trade surplus of over 60 billion euros ($66 billion) last year.

The vote did not go as presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton would have liked, and it, in turn, validated her opponent Donald Trump’s stance on the issue. She believed that “transatlantic cooperation is essential, and that cooperation is strongest when Europe is united,” according to a policy advisor. Likewise, the British people rejected the warnings of President Barack Obama who said during the campaign that they would have to get “to the back of the queue” if they wanted a trade deal with the U.S. after a Brexit.

—Time Will Tell—

We aren’t sure whether this is good or bad news for Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour Party leader. On the one hand, two of his pro-EU lawmakers have filed a no-confidence vote in his leadership; on the other hand, the vote strongly suggests that—based on his refusal to campaign more vigorously for Remain—he is more in touch with the working class his party is supposed to represent than the rest of Labour’s top brass. Brexit may strengthen his hand, allowing him to drag his party back to its Socialist roots, although whether that would make it more electable in a U.K. shorn of Scotland is another question.

About the Author
Claire Zillman
By Claire ZillmanEditor, Leadership
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Claire Zillman is a senior editor at Fortune, overseeing leadership stories. 

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Leadership

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

Latest in Leadership

Worker in a full cleanroom suit uses a wafer manufacturing tool.
SuccessCareers
In South Korea, teenagers are skipping college for semiconductor school—they’re landing six-figure Samsung jobs at 17 and bonuses of up to $400,000
By Preston ForeJuly 28, 2026
6 hours ago
Stressed rich Gen Zer looks at laptop
SuccessCost of living
Despite making over $135K, 1 in 5 high-earners feel ‘depressed’ when thinking about their finances—they may have ‘money dysmorphia’
By Emma BurleighJuly 28, 2026
6 hours ago
arnault
C-SuiteLVMH
Bernard Arnault is denying a family rift—and any kind of real-life Succession. LVMH earnings tell a stranger story
By Mia OsmonbekovJuly 28, 2026
7 hours ago
A smartphone displaying the logo of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (BNY) in front of a BNY brand background.
AICFO Daily
BNY skipped the ‘tokenmaxxing’ craze. Here’s what AI metrics it tracks instead
By Sheryl EstradaJuly 28, 2026
9 hours ago
kfc
RetailAuction
‘He did wear clip-ons’: KFC founder Colonel Sanders’ pressure cooker, bow ties, former home up for auction
By Dylan Lovan and The Associated PressJuly 28, 2026
10 hours ago
infantino
North AmericaWorld Cup
FIFA Chief Infantino lashes out at critics ‘consumed by hate and criticism’ who spread ‘hate and false rumors’
By Graham Dunbar and The Associated PressJuly 28, 2026
10 hours ago

Most Popular

Why did a $154 billion CEO just endorse stripping most Americans of voting rights—and taking us back to the 19th century?
C-Suite
Why did a $154 billion CEO just endorse stripping most Americans of voting rights—and taking us back to the 19th century?
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 27, 2026
1 day ago
A Nobel economist challenged Elon Musk to donate his entire $1T fortune by 2036. Musk's reply: 'I am actually going to do something along these lines'
Success
A Nobel economist challenged Elon Musk to donate his entire $1T fortune by 2036. Musk's reply: 'I am actually going to do something along these lines'
By Sydney LakeJuly 27, 2026
1 day ago
The millennial generation is split in 2: an older crowd with boomer-style comfort, a younger set going 'back to the early 1900s'
Real Estate
The millennial generation is split in 2: an older crowd with boomer-style comfort, a younger set going 'back to the early 1900s'
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 25, 2026
3 days ago
New York City women are making up to $30,000 per month by renting out their closets to strangers
Retail
New York City women are making up to $30,000 per month by renting out their closets to strangers
By Sarah GlodekJuly 27, 2026
2 days ago
LeBron James took a pay cut to maybe live in New York and commute to Philly by chopper, risking double taxation as NYC also tries to ban helicopters
Real Estate
LeBron James took a pay cut to maybe live in New York and commute to Philly by chopper, risking double taxation as NYC also tries to ban helicopters
By Catherina GioinoJuly 27, 2026
1 day ago
I've been teaching college students for decades. Most of them can no longer finish a book
Commentary
I've been teaching college students for decades. Most of them can no longer finish a book
By Austin SaratJuly 26, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.