Exclusive by Alan Quick

VISITORS to the Vote Leave Campaign shop in Crediton High Street were expressing their joy at the national and local result of the European Union referendum, which has seen England vote to overwhelmingly leave the EU in an historic referendum, leading the UK towards the exit.

While some expressed some disappointment at the resignation this morning of the Prime Minister David Cameron, others said they would welcome the change.

Voters in East Devon, Mid Devon, North Devon, Plymouth, Teignbridge, Torbay, Torridge and West Devon voted to leave.

Exeter and The Isles of Scilly voted to remain.

In Mid Devon, leave received 53.3 per cent (25,606 votes) and remain 47.6 per cent (22,400 votes).

In Exeter, 55.3 per cent voted to remain, by 35,270 votes to 28,533, and the turnout was 74 per cent.

In Torbay people voted to leave by 47,889 votes to 27,935, and the turnout was 74 per cent.

Cornwall voted 140,540 for Remain and 182,665 for Leave.

Other local results were: West Devon - Leave 53.2 per cent (18,937 votes), Remain 46.8 per cent (16,658 votes); Teignbridge - Leave 53.9 per cent (44,363 votes), Remain 46.1 per cent (37,949 votes); Torridge - Leave 60.8 per cent (25,200 votes), Remain 39.2 per cent (16,229 votes) and North Devon - Leave 57 per cent (33,100 votes), Remain 43 per cent (24,931 votes).

PEOPLE OF CREDITON ‘MADE VOICES HEARD’

Richard Wright, one of the leaders of the Vote Leave campaign in the Crediton area, said: “There has been tremendous support from local people. Many have been popping into the shop this morning to say how pleased they are.

“This is a tremendous result and the people of Devon and Crediton made their voices heard.”

Mrs Freda Fuller of Shobrooke, who has displayed large Vote Leave campaign posters in her garden for the past several weeks, said: “I can’t be more pleased.

“I stayed up all night and watched the results coming in on television.

“The Vote Leave campaigners did a great job and while it was touch and go for a while we got there in the end.

“It will help the country, the steelworkers and shops.

“I reckon Boris may now get in as Prime Minister.”

Her daughter-in-law, Diane Beckett of Bowden Hill, Crediton, echoed Mrs Fuller’s comments, adding: “It was a very good result.

“We will get through the times of change. We managed after the Second World War and we will do so again.”

PRIME MINISTER STEPS DOWN

It was at about 8.30am that David Cameron announced that he is stepping down as prime minister.

There should be a new PM in place by the start of the Conservative Party conference in October, he said.

It is not right for him "to be the captain of the ship" as the British people have taken a very clear decision to take a different path to the one he has promoted, he added.

Mel Stride, the Conservative MP for Central Devon, said this morning: “David Cameron has served our country with distinction and should be proud of his achievements as our Prime Minister.

“I respect the decision of the British people to leave the EU although as I have always argued leaving is going to represent a hugely challenging path.

“I and my fellow Conservative MPs will now elect a new leader in the coming months and we will unite in continuing to deliver on our manifesto and to steer our country through the challenges ahead.”

North Devon Conservative MP Peter Heaton-Jones said he was "disappointed" by the outcome of the EU Referendum.

He said: "Three things now need to happen. Firstly, we need to work hard to ensure the UK remains strong, secure and economically successful outside the European Union. 

"Secondly, all politicians must now come together and work for the good of the country. 

"Thirdly, politics now needs to be conducted in a more respectful, courteous and consensual manner."

CREDITON FARMER’S VIEW

Crediton farmer, Jim Stephens, Devon Chairman for the NFU told BBC News: "We are in exciting times. 

"We will fight to protect the rural economy. The nation has to eat and we have the best food in the world."

NFU President Meurig Raymond said: “The vote to leave the European Union will inevitably lead to a period of uncertainty in a number of areas that are of vital importance to Britain’s farmers.

“The NFU will engage fully and constructively with the British government to construct new arrangements. This needs to happen as soon as possible.

“Our members will rightly want to know the impact on their businesses as a matter of urgency.  We understand that the negotiations will take some time to deliver but it is vital that there is early commitment to ensure British farming is not disadvantaged. It is vital that British farming is profitable and remains competitive, it is the bedrock of the food industry – Britain’s largest manufacturing sector.”

The NFU has called an extraordinary meeting of NFU Council, its governing body, next Friday, July 1.

UK ‘WILL CONTINUE TO BE GREAT EUROPEAN POWER’

The results for the country were: Leave 51.9 per cent (17,410,742 votes) and Remain 48.1 per cent (16,141,241 votes).

MPs this morning also tabled a motion of no confidence in the leader of the UK Labour party, Jeremy Corbyn.

Boris Johnson has said that the UK “will continue to be a great European power”.

Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish leader, has said that a second Scottish independence referendum is “highly likely”.

Belgian MEP Philippe Lamberts says he is angry at the UK’s decision to leave the EU, attacking David Cameron personally.

"He behaved totally irresponsibly and now after creating this mess, leaving it to others to clean it up is utterly irresponsible," he said. "I do not believe this is worth the traditional British leadership. We’ve seen British leaders of another quality in the past and I would aspire to see others. I won’t miss him."

Mr Lamberts says the Brexit decision is a "big disappointment", but adds that British scepticism over the EU project is "not unique to the UK".

‘DELIGHTED’ WITH ‘BREXIT’ VOTE

Conservative MP for Newton Abbot, Anne Marie Morris says she is "delighted" with the British public’s decision to leave the EU.

"We must now unite all sides, start working on the process of negotiating our exit from the European Union and deliver what the people have mandated," she said.

Ms Morris said she was "certain" that leaving the EU would make the UK "a more prosperous" nation and paid tribute to the "great" Prime Minister David Cameron.

‘DISASTER FOR YOUNG PEOPLE’

Britain’s decision to leave the EU has been branded "a disaster for the young people of this country" by the vice-chancellor of the University of Exeter.

Steve Smith said there were nearly 1,500 students and 500 staff from Europe at the university, while prospective academic staff from the EU had put off signing contracts until today.

Brexit was a "major issue" for the university sector but the University of Exeter would work to reassure staff and students, he said

There has been a plunge in shares on the UK stock markets and the pound in the wake of the Brexit vote.

The Church of England said it was now time for the United Kingdom to "re-imagine" its place in the world.

In a joint statement Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and Archbishop of York John Sentamu said: "As citizens of the United Kingdom, whatever our views during the referendum campaign, we must now unite in a common task to build a generous and forward looking country, contributing to human flourishing around the world.

"We must remain hospitable and compassionate, builders of bridges and not barriers. Many of those living among us and alongside us as neighbours, friends and work colleagues come from overseas and some will feel a deep sense of insecurity. We must respond by offering reassurance, by cherishing our wonderfully diverse society, and by affirming the unique contribution of each and every one."