VOA’s Luis Ramirez talks to Brexit voters in Westminster
Stocks, British pound rising
Stock markets across Europe are rising with traders and investors betting on a 'Remain' result from Britain’s Brexit referendum.
The pound, too, continued to extend gains, trading at midday 1.26 percent higher than Wednesday.
But the buoyancy is worrying some market analysts. They say that if the markets have got it wrong, and the EU’s most reluctant member chooses to exit from the bloc, the crash will be sharp.
Opinion polls suggest the result will be tight. Almost halfway through the voting day, though, there was good news for 'Remain' campaigners. Officials in Northern Ireland reported brisk voting and projected the turnout in the region by the end of the day would be a likely 70 percent.
Northern Ireland, like Scotland, is seen as pro-'Remain' territory and turnout there will be crucial to offset English voting districts, seen as mainly pro-'Leave.'
The other crucial voting district for the 'Remain' campaign is the capital.
How the wet weather will impact turnout in London is unclear. 'Leave' campaigner Nigel Farage appears to believe rain will help. Speaking outside his Kent home in the south of England, Farage said: “Actually I do think we are in with a very strong chance, I do genuinely.”
He seems to be putting a lot of hope on “those soft 'Remainers' staying at home.”
Prime Minister Cameron ignored questions about the weather when leaving a polling station, saying just a laconic “Good morning.”
Impact on Africa
South African economic analyst David Oberholzer says a British exit from the European Union could adversely affect trade and aid with Africa.
Oberholzer, co-founder of the Johannesburg investment training and research company the Strigine Group, tells VOA's English-to-Africa that trade blocks like the Southern African Development Community and individual African countries have signed an Economic Partnership Agreement with the EU. He says such agreements would have to be renegotiated.
Britain also has several bilateral agreements with African countries that are governed by EU rules. They also would also have to be renegotiated, though Oberholzer says Britain – without the monetary clout of the EU behind it – may get an inferior deal. And, he says, Britain contributes 12 percent of the EU’s development aid, which could suffer if London withdraws.
Oberholzer says the lesson for Africa is that with the continent’s economic and political diversity, it would be better to have smaller regional units come together, rather than focus on a larger groupings like the African Union, itself modeled in part on the EU.