Leave camp leads in early UK referendum count
Early results from Britain's bitterly contested referendum showed a lead on June 24 for supporters of leaving the European Union, contradicting opinion polls and prompting wild swings in the value of the pound.
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With results in from the first 13 of 382 voting districts, those in favor of ending Britain's 43-year membership were on 52.4% of the vote, while those wanting to stay were on 47.6%.
But it was too early to establish a firm trend in a contest that remained too close to call. Opinion surveys pointed to a vote to Remain, and two prominent anti-EU campaigners said they expected to lose.
Nigel Farage, head of the UK Independence Party and a leading voice in favor of leaving the EU, told Sky News as voting ended: "It's been an extraordinary referendum campaign, turnout looks to be exceptionally high and looks like Remain will edge it."
Farage said his prediction was based on "what I know from some of my friends in the financial markets who have done some big polling". Government minister Theresa Villiers, who also campaigned for Britain to leave, told Sky her instinct was that the Remain side had won.
