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HTTP --> HTTPS [#1], replaced: http://www.breitbart.com → https://www.breitbart.com (10), http://www.sciencedaily.com → https://www.sciencedaily.com, http://www.reuters.com → https://www.reuters.com, http://thehill.com → https://thehill.com
'''Brexit''' is a campaign slogan for 'Britain's Exit' from the [[European Union]]. The British people became the first nation to vote on a referendum whether or not to remain in membership to the EU on June 23, 2016. The historic vote shocked the world as the Leave campaign won by a 52–48% margin. Prime Minister [[David Cameron]] campaigned to remain in the EU and with the results public, resigned his position. Former London Mayor [[Boris Johnson]] was a leader of the Leave camp, though previously supporting Remain.
Polling indicated a tight race, with 44% preferring to stay (anti-Brexit) and 42% supporting leaving the EU (Brexit), as of April 17, 2016.<ref>https://ig.ft.com/sites/brexit-polling/</ref> Two weeks after [[Barack Obama]] gave his support to Cameron and chided Britain to stay in the EU, a survey says Brexit gained 3% who want out.<ref>[httphttps://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-eu-poll-idUSKCN0XP0PO? Obama fails to swing Britain behind EU as 'Out' takes poll lead, Reuters, April 28, 2016]</ref> Final results showed "Leave" with 52% of the vote to "Remain" with 48%, a margin that was 5 points better than polling. This was despite the fact that the "Remain" side was fined several times for cheating and lack of transparency, and despite the British government sending fliers to every citizen to urge them to vote "Remain."<ref>Kassam, Raheem (March 25, 2018). [httphttps://www.breitbart.com/london/2018/03/25/5-ways-brexit-remain-camp-cheated-still-lost/ 5 Ways the Remain Camp Cheated During Brexit…. And Still Lost!] ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved March 25, 2018.</ref>
The British High Court ruled on November 3, 2016, that the British government could not unilaterally begin formal exit negotiations with the EU, but rather that parliamentary approval via an Act of Parliament is needed to permit the British Government to trigger Article 50 and begin the withdrawal process.<ref>[http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-37857785 Brexit court defeat for UK government]. ''BBC''. November 3, 2016. Retrieved December 16, 2016.</ref> The British government appealed the decision to the Supreme Court, skipping the Court of Appeal. On the 1st of February 2017, the British House of Commons approved beginning Brexit negotiations.<ref>[http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-38833883 Brexit: MPs overwhelmingly back Article 50 bill]. ''BBC''. February 1, 2017. Retrieved February 3, 2017.</ref> Amendments were later made in the House of Lords, and each amendment was refused by the House of Commons. The bill eventually became law and on the 29th of March, Theresa May triggered Article 50 and began the withdrawal process from the [[European Union]].
Prime Minister [[Theresa May]] officially initiated Brexit on March 29, 2017.<ref>Suarez Sang, Lucia I. (March 29, 2017). [http://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/03/29/brexit-triggered-u-k-prime-minister-sends-letter-to-european-union-to-begin-exit.html Brexit triggered: UK prime minister sends letter to European Union to begin divorce]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved March 29, 2017.</ref><ref>[httphttps://www.breitbart.com/london/2017/03/29/triggered/ TRIGGERED: Britain Invokes Article 50 to Begin Brexit Process]. ''Breitbart News''. March 29, 2017. Retrieved March 29, 2017.</ref> In the Brexit negotiations, the EU parliament has a very powerful role, and has ruled out certain things the British Government was hoping to achieve (such as trade agreements with individual nation-states, rather than the European Union as an entity), thus acting as a bully to Britain.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/04/05/eu-legislators-tell-uk-on-brexit-no-parallel-talks.html EU legislators tell UK on Brexit: no parallel talks]. ''Fox News'' (from the ''Associated Press''). April 5, 2017. Retrieved April 5, 2017.</ref>
== Eligible voters ==
Prior to the referendum, the Left and establishment claimed that approving Brexit would lead to terrible economic ruin for the UK. Pro-Brexiteers labeled this hysteria "Project Fear." Financial giants warned the British of credit downgrades. The British Pound dropped significantly as results started pouring in showing Leave doing better than expected.
Contrary to claims by anti-Brexit activists, the British economy did well, and it even improved after the referendum. In early 2017, the chief economist of the Bank of England admitted that hysteric [[establishment]] predictions of economic gloom from a pro-Brexit result were wrong and inaccurate.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/01/06/bank-england-economist-brexit-predictions-were-wrong.html Bank of England economist: Brexit predictions were wrong]. ''Fox News''. January 6, 2017. Retrieved January 6, 2017.</ref> The British finance ministry admitted the same in January 2018.<ref>[httphttps://www.breitbart.com/london/2018/01/26/reuters-treasury-says-pre-referendum-brexit-economy-forecasts-no-longer-valid/ Reuters: Treasury Says Pre-Referendum ‘Project Fear’ Forecasts No Longer Valid]. ''Breitbart News''. January 26, 2018. Retrieved January 26, 2018.</ref> In 2017, British manufacturing grew at its fastest rate since early 2008.<ref>Deacon, Liam (January 11, 2018). [httphttps://www.breitbart.com/london/2018/01/11/uk-manufacturing-growing-fastest-rate-decade-brexit-vote/ UK Manufacturing Growing at Fastest Rate in a Decade After Brexit Vote]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved January 11, 2018.</ref> Despite contrary claims by "Remain" campaigners, the British Pound climbed to pre-Brexit vote levels in January 2018.<ref>[httphttps://www.breitbart.com/london/2018/01/23/sterling-climbs-1-40-new-post-brexit-vote-high/ Sterling Climbs Above $1.40 to New Post-Brexit-Vote High]. ''Breitbart News''. January 23, 2018. Retrieved January 23, 2018.</ref> Employment also rose.<ref>[httphttps://www.breitbart.com/london/2018/01/24/reuters-uk-employment-surges-record-high-wages-increase/ REUTERS: UK Employment Surges to Record High, Wages Increase]. ''Breitbart News''. January 24, 2018. Retrieved January 24, 2018.</ref> By 2018, British export levels reached the highest level since 2010.<ref>Montgomery, Jack (March 8, 2018). [httphttps://www.breitbart.com/london/2018/03/08/british-exports-strongest-since-2010-pre-referendum-recession-threats/ Brexit Boom: British Exports Strongest Since 2010, Defying Pre-Referendum Recession Threats]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved March 8, 2018.</ref>
Despite the economic growth, anti-Brexit activists continued to predict "doom-and-gloom" economic scenarios.<ref>Montgomery, Jack (January 11, 2018). [httphttps://www.breitbart.com/london/2018/01/11/project-fear-redux-economy-surges-khan-predict-disaster/ Project Fear Redux: As Economy Surges, Anti-Brexit Economists Predict Disaster in Report Funded by Sadiq Khan]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved January 11, 2018.</ref> However, former prime minister [[David Cameron]], who supported the "Remain" campaign, admitted in January 2018 that Brexit "turned out less badly than we first thought" despite continuing to voice displeasure about it.<ref>Lane, Oliver JJ (January 24, 2018). [httphttps://www.breitbart.com/london/2018/01/24/david-cameron-davos-brexit-turned-less-badly-first-thought/ David Cameron at Davos: ‘Brexit Has Turned Out Less Badly Than We First Thought’]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved January 24, 2018.</ref>
Anti-Brexit advocates continued promoting Project Fear, or "Project Hysteria," regarding a potential no-deal "Hard Brexit."<ref>Friedman, Victoria (September 17, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/london/2018/09/17/project-hysteria-dire-predictions-no-deal-brexit-sandwiches-space-debris-falling-sky/ ‘Project Hysteria’: Dire No-Deal Brexit Predictions from the End of Sandwiches to the Sky Falling in]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved September 17, 2018.</ref>
*Casey, Professor Patricia (April 3, 2009). [http://www.ionainstitute.ie/pdfs/Religion-Exec_summary.pdf "The psycho-social benefits of religious practise" [executive summary]]. Iona Institute for Religion and Society [Ireland] website. Retrieved on July 24, 2014.
*McCullough, Michael E. and Willoughby, Brian L. B. (2009). [http://www.psy.miami.edu/faculty/mmccullough/Papers/Relig_self_control_bulletin.pdf "Religion, self-regulation, and self-control: associations, explanations, and implications"]. ''Psychological Bulletin'', vol. 135: 1, pp. 69–93. Retrieved from University of Miami, College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Psychology website on July 24, 2014.
*University of Colorado at Boulder (May 17, 1999). [httphttps://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/1999/05/990517064323.htm "Research shows religion plays a major role in health, longevity"]. ScienceDaily. Retrieved on July 24, 2014.
*Dervic, Kanita, et al. (December 2004). [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15569904 "Religious affiliation and suicide attempt" [abstract]]. ''The American Journal of Psychiatry'', vol. 161:12, pp. 2303-8. Abstract retrieved from National Institutes of Health, U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Center for Biotechnology Information, Pub Med on July 24, 2014.
*University of Warwick (December 2003). [http://www.scienceblog.com/community/older/2003/A/20037338.html "Psychology researcher [Dr. Stephen Joseph] says spiritual meaning of Christmas brings more happiness than materialism"]. Scienceblog. Retrieved on July 24, 2014.</ref> In addition, atheists have higher suicide rates (see: [[Atheism and suicide]] and [[Atheism and depression]]).
==Process for leaving the EU==
Despite British leaders' reluctance for achieving a "no deal" hard Brexit, Professor Patrick Minford of Cardiff University estimated that such an exit would actually cost the EU £507 billion with the UK gaining £641 billion.<ref>Montgomery, Jack (January 15, 2018). [httphttps://www.breitbart.com/london/2018/01/15/study-no-deal-cost-eu-507bn-britain-gains-641bn/ Study: ‘No Deal’ Will Cost the EU £507bn, While Britain Gains £641bn]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved January 15, 2018.</ref>
The UK parliament passed a bill implementing the referendum decision, becoming law on June 27, 2018, about a year after being introduced.<ref>Gaydos, Ryan (June 26, 2018). [http://www.foxnews.com/world/2018/06/26/brexit-bill-becomes-law-allowing-uk-to-leave-european-union.html Brexit bill becomes law, allowing UK to leave European Union]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved June 27, 2018.</ref><ref>Manchester, Julia (June 26, 2018). [httphttps://thehill.com/policy/international/394124-british-brexit-bill-becomes-law British Brexit bill becomes law]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved June 27, 2018.</ref> [[Globalist]]s in the UK refused to admit their defeat in the referendum by trying to undermne and even reverse Brexit.<ref>Newman, Alex (June 27, 2018). [https://www.thenewamerican.com/world-news/europe/item/29398-brexit-is-now-law-but-globalists-refuse-to-surrender Brexit Is Now Law, but Globalists Refuse to Surrender]. ''The New American''. Retrieved June 27, 2018.</ref> By July 2018, Prime Minister Theresa May had hurt her country's chances of securing a real Brexit because of several poor decisions and refusal to stand firm against the EU in negotiations.<ref>Friedman, Victoria (July 11, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/london/2018/07/11/five-things-know-about-may-bungled-brexit/ Concessions, Threats, No Confidence: Five Ways ‘Zombie May’ Bungled Brexit]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved July 11, 2018.</ref>
=== Article 50 ===
