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Hugh Laurie Wants A Brexit Do-Over
After the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union on Thursday, the EU, the U.K., and the world were left with so many questions. Will U.K. citizens be allowed to travel to and within the EU without a visa? What will happen to U.K. citizens who are currently employed throughout the EU? And could this departure from the European Union signal the go-ahead for other member states to do the same? The decision to leave has left some people bargaining to stay, for instance, actor Hugh Laurie, whose Brexit tweet is what we're all thinking.
After a 52-48 percent vote, the majority of U.K. voters decided they want to leave. That said, hours after the polls closed at 10 p.m. local time, Google searches spiked in the U.K. for "what is the eu" and "what is brexit." The search "what is the eu" was most popular in the following order: Northern Ireland, Wales, England, and Scotland, according to NPR. Then again, both Northern Ireland and Scotland voted overwhelmingly in favor of staying.
Following the Brexit decision, some, like Laurie, are bargaining to stay. Laurie tweeted on Thursday night, "Best of three?" Some Twitter users responded with other suggestions, like "England may leave only if a chosen representative can wrestle Europe's burliest parliamentarian" and "Do Over?"
Since the results came in, the British pound's value dropped 8 percent, which is its biggest drop since 1985. But this drop in value is not only specific to Britain in the Brexit aftermath. It's also affecting economies around the world. Japan's Nikkei took a hit, and markets across Europe dropped, for instance in Germany, France, and Spain. The U.K.'s exit from the EU will likely continue to cause problems for its own economy. At least in the short term, their relationship with the rest of the European Union is uncertain and could lead to a recession for the United Kingdom, according to Vox, which is notable considering that part of their jump to leave was said to be for economic reasons.
Unfortunately, while the chances of this vote being undone are unlikely, there are options for it to be overturned. Under Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union, Britain will have to formally notify the Union of their decision to withdraw their status as a member state, Vox reports. Following this notification, Britain and the EU will have to discuss new trade tariffs and policies in the realm of immigration among other key areas. This procedure could take up to two years.
Either way, Brexit won't happen overnight. So maybe there is hope for Laurie's "best of three" — at least, much of the world is probably hoping.