British Prime Minister David Cameron announced that he will be resigning from his political role after United Kingdom voters made the historic decision by referendum — called the Brexit vote — to leave the European Union. Cameron, 49, revealed the news during a press conference held in London on Friday, June 24.
The politician said that he will continue as prime minister for three months and will officially leave his post before the Conservative Party’s conference in October.
“I love this country and feel honored to have served it,” Cameron said, explaining that the “will of British people must be respected.”
“The British people have spoken….This was not a decision taken lightly. There can be no doubt about the result,” he added. “I will reassure the markets that the British economy is strong. This will require strong leadership. I’ve been proud to be prime minister for six years.”
Although he called for the vote, Cameron has vocally opposed the U.K. leaving the EU, a move championed by his right-leaning political opponents.
“I fought this campaign in the only way I know how, which is to say directly and passionately what I think and feel — head, heart and soul,” he shared. “I held nothing back, I was absolutely clear about my belief that Britain is stronger, safer and better off inside the European Union, and I made clear the referendum was about this and this alone — not the future of any single politician, including myself.”
U.K. citizens had divisive feelings over the Brexit vote, with 48 percent of voters wanting to stay within the European Union and 52 percent wanting to leave. Cameron will likely activate Article 50, which will begin the process of the U.K.’s removal from the bloc — which could take up to two years or more, according to CNBC.
Already, the decision (which was made early Friday morning) has had huge economic ramifications. The value of the British pound has plummeted as stock markets are suffering globally.
During a visit to Scotland — a portion of the U.K. that largely opposed leaving the EU — Donald Trump shared his support for the controversial vote.
“[They’ve] taken their country back.…I think it’s a great thing that happened,” the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, 70, told reporters on Friday. “People are angry, all over the world. People, they’re angry.”
“For traveling and for other things,” he added during an afternoon news conference, “I think it very well could turn out to be a positive.”
Watch Cameron’s speech above.
