LIVE: EU REFERENDUM VOTING DISRUPTED BY ALLEGED REGISTRATION ERRORS AND MASS FLOODING

Courtesy of @gavinmegaw on Twitter

• Britons go to the polling stations to vote on whether the UK will stay in the European Union.
• Polling started at 7 a.m. BST and will end at 10 p.m. BST.
• An estimated 46,499,537 people are entitled to take part in the vote.
• One TNS poll conducted online from June 16 to 22 puts Remain at 41% (+1 in comparison with the previous poll) and Leave at 43% (-4).
• Terrible weather across some parts of Britain, particularly in London and the South East, could affect turnout.

1947 – CAMPAIGN GROUP LEAVE.EU IS HAVING A PARTY REGARDLESS OF THE RESULT

Regardless of how things go in the referendum, pro-Brexit campaigning group Leave.EU is having a big old party. The campaign group, which lost out to Vote Leave as the official Leave campaign, will be toasting the referendum, along with all volunteers and campaigners on the side of Brexit. UKIP leader Nigel Farage is expected to speak at the event in Millbank, close to Westminster. Several journalists are also attending so expect updates throughout the night on Twitter.

1936 – QUEUES FORMED EARLIER TODAY OUTSIDE FOREIGN EXCHANGE SHOPS

People worried about the effect a possible Brexit might have on the value of the pound are getting their holiday money early, and causing queues at foreign exchange shops. The picture below was taken in the City of London earlier today:

People queue at a foreign exchange office in the City of London on the day of the EU referendum, in London.AP Photo/Tim Ireland

As Business Insider’s Ben Moshinsky reported earlier today, it might be a good time to buy euros for your holiday ahead of the result.

1927 – BREXIT THE HORSE FINISHES SIXTH AT NEWBURY

We may not have any real idea of how voting is going in the referendum until polls close at 10 p.m, but we can update you on the progress of Brexit the horse. A racehorse called Brexit ran in the 6.10 race at Newbury, finishing sixth overall.

Horse named Brexit finishes 6th in 6.10 at Newbury. Kept pace with leaders at start then struggled on home straight. pic.twitter.com/vpqX6Y6Bb0

— Jim Waterson (@jimwaterson) June 23, 2016

1916 – A STABBING HAS BEEN REPORTED CLOSE TO A POLLING STATION IN HUDDERSFIELD, YORKSHIRE

A man was stabbed inGreenhead Park in the town, before collapsing near the Waverley Road polling station, according to the Huddersfield Examiner. A 19-year old man has been arrested. The stabbing is not believed to be related to the referendum.

A statement from West Yorkshire Police reads:

“Police were called to reports of man with a stab wound collapsed in the street in the Waverley Road area of Huddersfield at 5.15pm.

“Officers attended and found a man who had suffered what are believed to be serious but not life threatening injuries.

“This incident is not linked to the European referendum and it is believed the incident took place in Greenhead Park and the victim has then walked to the Waverley Road area.”

The polling station was closed for around 30 minutes, but has now reopened.

Looks like I won’t be voting today after a stabbing outside the polling station in #Huddersfield#EUrefpic.twitter.com/fdON60eGMq

— Jordan Adams (@JordanCallumA) June 23, 2016

1855 – RUMOURS EMERGE ABOUT WHY NIGEL FARAGE SKIPPED CHANNEL 4’S DEBATE LAST NIGHT

UKIP leader Nigel Farage mysteriously pulled out of Channel 4’s EU referendum debate on Wednesday night. The MEP cited “family reasons” for not turning up to event which Labour supporter Alastair Campbell attended. However, now Campbell has stoked rumours that Farage was actually hiding out in the pub, by retweeting a claim by Twitter user Shelley B Hammond:

1847 – PUTTING A POTENTIAL BREXIT INTO A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE

In a recent report by Goldman Sachs, two graphs point out more general problems Europe is facing.

Goldman Sachs

The charts show that people’s satisfaction with the EU is shrinking, as political instability has risen. Business Insider’s Elena Holodny has more on the report here.

1833 – THIS GRAPH SHOWS WHEN WE WILL KNOW THE BULK OF THE RESULTS TONIGHT

If you are bravely planning on pulling an all-nighter to watch the results be announced, it is helpful to know when the bulk will be declared. We located a handy graph from the Electoral Commission, which explains that we will reach the halfway point between 3 and 4 a.m. Check it out below:

Electoral Commission, HSBC

1819 – VOTER TURNOUT APPEARS HIGH IN AREAS NOT AFFECTED BY FLOODS

Beyond London and the South East, it has actually been a pretty nice day, in terms of the weather. Accordingly, some areas are reporting high voter turnout.

High turnout is expected to benefit the Remain campaign. HSBC said in a Brexit note last week that a high turnout would “indicate more involvement from younger voters, who are thought more likely to vote to remain.”

1803 – TERRIBLE WEATHER CONTINUES TO AFFECT VOTERS DURING RUSH-HOUR “CHAOS”

Voters in London and the South East are facing huge delays as they commute home from work, as a result of a new surge of storms stemming from the continent:

There’s no way of knowing exactly how much the bad weather could affect voter turnout. There is no doubt, however, that it is making people less willing to venture outside. This is what it looks like inside some of London’s busiest stations:

Others were more concerned about the torrential rain’s effect on cricket:

1749 – EVEN IF BRITAIN VOTES FOR BREXIT, IT MAY NEVER HAPPEN

The referendum is not legally binding, so even if the Leave campaign wins Thursday’s vote, Britain may actually end up remaining in the EU, according to a report by Business Insider’s Adam Payne.

It will be up to the UK Parliament to decide what to do next. But many of the most ardent Europhiles in Parliament, like the former Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, have said they will respect the public’s decision, regardless of the result.

Britain’s Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg speaks to journalists after unveiling a new campaign poster in the car park of a pub in Hyde, in Cheshire, Northern England, April 3, 2015.REUTERS/Andrew Yates

1727 – WONDERING WHAT TIME WE WILL FIND OUT THE RESULT?

As the traders of CitiGroup, JPMorgan, and Morgan Stanley know only too well, we will not find out the results of the EU referendum on Thursday.

Results are expected at about 6 a.m. BST on Friday.

So, unlike the bankers who are being told they must stay overnight, a sensible move would be to go to bed as normal and wait until Friday to find out whether Britain has voted to leave the European Union.

1715 – EUROPEAN COMMISSION PRESIDENT JEAN-CLAUDE JUNCKER CELEBRATES LUXEMBOURG’S NATIONAL HOLIDAY

While we are all obsessing over Britain’s EU referendum, the much maligned president of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, has more important things going on – namely Luxembourg’s national holiday – according to a ZDF reporter.

1708 – EUROPEAN STOCKS JUMPED ON REFERENDUM DAY

Stocks across Europe closed higher on Thursday during a wet day of voting in the UK.

All of the major indexes ended positively – while some gained more than 2.5%.

An EU referendum voter heads to a polling station in Northern Ireland.Charles McQuillan / Getty

1656 – THE PEN SAGA CONTINUES

A concerned mother from Rainham, east London, called the police earlier to report that her local polling station was issuing only pencils to mark ballots papers, according to local media reports.

“It just seems crazy to be using pencils. It’s not right, as it’s fairly easy for someone to erase your vote,” Lydie Abessira told the Romford Recorder.

“I’m not sure if this is the right procedure, but if it is, then it’s totally wrong. It’s just not just an issue for me or my husband but the whole community.”

#usepens is trending on Twitter, after Brexit supporters have been encouraging supporters to use pens to avoid a rumoured MI5 plot to keep Britain in Europe.

1643 – UBER IS URGING CUSTOMERS TO GO OUT AND VOTE

The on-demand taxi service Uber is encouraging its customers to make the trip to the polling station, despite the bad weather. The heavy rain could of course lead to big profits for the company, which operates across large UK cities including London, Birmingham, and Bristol.

Lianna Brinded / Business Insider

1631 – THE POUND IS FLUCTUATING HUGELY AS BRITAIN VOTES IN THE EU REFERENDUM

Voting in the EU referendum has been having a dramatic effect on the pound on Thursday.

Just after 4 p.m. BST (11 a.m. ET) the sterling is about 0.7% higher against the dollar, to trade at $1.480, having reached a daily high of $1.4934 at about 11:30 a.m. BST (6:30 a.m. ET).

1614 – VOTERS FACING TRAVEL DISRUPTION IN EUROPE ARE BEING DISALLOWED “EMERGENCY PROXY VOTES”

Eligible voters in the EU referendum are not being allowed to register for an “Emergency Proxy Vote” – in which you give someone else the power to vote for you if you’re unable to make the polling station yourself for unexpected reasons on the day – as a result of travel disruptions in Europe.

Electoral services won’t allow as reason for emergency proxy though which seems pretty unfair. Any suggestions?

— Maya Wolfe-Robinson (@mwolferobinson) June 23, 2016

We have an answer: No, you cannot apply for an emergency proxy vote if stuck abroad due to striking air traffic control.

— Alistair Charlton (@AlistairJ90) June 23, 2016

Well I wanted 2 #leave Europe 2day but the French Air Traffic strike has forced me 2 #remain so I can’t vote now but at least the sun is out

— Billy Ritchie (@billyritchie) June 23, 2016

Other voters have until 5 p.m. to register for an Emergency Proxy Vote.

1556 – VOTER TURNOUT COULD MAKE THE DIFFERENCE OVER WHETHER BRITAIN LEAVES THE EU

Voter turnout is seen as a crucial factor in determining the result of the EU referendum. Young people are considered more likely to vote to remain in the EU, but they are also one of the least likely demographics to actually cast a vote.

Certain parts of Britain, namely London and the South East, are suffering from awful weather conditions; it’s unclear exactly how far this could affect the final outcome.

1549 – MISSED OUR EU REFERENDUM COVERAGE? HERE ARE SOME HIGHLIGHTS

There’s a lot to keep up with as Britain takes part in a historic referendum on its membership within the EU. Here are some stories you do not want to miss:

• READ: Morgan Stanley just nailed one of the most ignored impacts of a Brexit
• WATCH: European landmarks light up with the Union Jack to show Remain support.
• SEE: The 15 best pictures of dogs at polling stations as Britain votes in the EU referendum

1539 – THIS IS WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT IF BRITAIN VOTES TO LEAVE OR REMAIN

We’re now midway through voting day, and reality is starting to dawn on voters. We will soon know the result of the EU referendum, but what happens next?

Business Insider has compiled forecasts predicting the next steps in the event of either a Remain or a Leave vote.

Check them out here:

• Here is what will happen on Friday if Britain votes to remain in the EU
• Here is what will happen on Friday if Britain votes to leave the EU

1518 – TEENAGERS ARE GETTING FRUSTRATED THAT THEY CANNOT VOTE

The minimum voting age in the referendum is 18. There was a move to lower the voting age to 16 for the vote on Britain’s future as a member of the European Union. But the House of Lords and the House of Commons rejected the proposal in December, The Guardian reported.

Now those under 18 are expressing frustration at their inability to have a say on the decision, which will affect Britain for many years to come.

Ridiculous how you have to be 18 to vote, the older generation are gonna mess up our future while we have to sit and watch 🙄 #referendum

— Molly (@molwby) June 23, 2016

1507 – THE LONDON FIRE BRIGADE HAVE RESCUED MORE THAN 100 RESIDENTS FROM FLOODING IN ROMFORD SO FAR TODAY

The London Fire Brigade have given an update on disruption caused by flooding Thursday in Romford. As of 2 p.m. the service say they have rescued 110 residents. The emergency service received more than 550 weather-related calls overnight.

“We are expecting more heavy rainfall later today and so possibly more localised flooding. However, we are working very closely with other agencies to protect people and property,” station manager Rod Vitalis said in a press release.

The poor weather conditions in the UK are expected to influence turnout at the EU referendum.

Real progress being made in #Romford crews pumping water away from a few houses more here: https://t.co/wtHRVVOOhGpic.twitter.com/5au0WI370R

— London Fire Brigade (@LondonFire) June 23, 2016

1458 – SENIOR TRADERS ARE BEING ASKED TO STAY OVERNIGHT IN ANTICIPATION OF THE REFERENDUM RESULT

Traders at several major banks including JPMorgan, Morgan Stanley, Citigroup, and Goldman Sachs have been asked to stay at work all night on Thursday because of the EU referendum, according to reports.

1444 – WATCH POLICE QUESTION A BREXIT SUPPORTER FOR LENDING HER PEN TO VOTERS OUTSIDE A POLLING STATION

A conspiracy theory about an MI5 plot to rig the referendum has led Brexit supporters to urge voters to make their votes using pens – to make sure their ballot papers cannot be edited after the vote.

Jacqueline Jackson, who describes herself as a UKIP supporter, posted a video on Twitter of her being questioned by the police, as a result of her handing out pens to voters outside a polling station.

Watch it below:

Police came to Chichester polling station called by REMAIN side to stop me LENDING my PEN to all voters.#fraudpic.twitter.com/CGqra3yXR1

— Jacqueline Jackson (@willowhalegreen) June 23, 2016

1428 – GOLDMAN SACHS: POLITICAL UNCERTAINTY IS BEING DRIVEN BY TECHNOLOGY, GLOBALISATION, AND THEIR EFFECTS ON THE MARKET

The multinational banking firm Goldman Sachs has set out to investigate the causes of an increasingly volatile political atmosphere, which is having a major impact on the international markets.

David Brady, a political-science professor at Stanford University, gave the bank this answer.

1420 – MARKETS UPDATE

The FTSE 100 is up over 1.6%, reaching 3,027.65. Keep checking our market post here, for the latest updates.

Google Finance

1415 – #nunsatpollingstations IS MAYBE EVEN BETTER THAN #dogsatpollingstations

#dogsatpollingstations may be trending, but a similar phenomenon is happening with nuns. While there are not quite as many posts on Twitter about #nunsatpollingstations, the results are just as good.

Here are some highlights:

1349 – HAVE YOU BEEN UNABLE TO VOTE FOR AN UNEXPECTED REASON TODAY? YOU CAN STILL APPLY TO VOTE BY PROXY UNTIL 5 p.m.

If you have found yourself unable to vote in the referendum for an unexpected work or medical reason, you have until 5 p.m. to apply for an emergency proxy vote.

Anyone can be registered to vote for you by proxy, as long as the person is at least 18 and registered to vote.

1327 – VOTERS ARE LEAVING FLOWERS OUTSIDE A POLLING STATION IN BATLEY TO MOURN THE DEATH OF FORMER LABOUR MP JO COX

The Labour MP for Batley and Spen in West Yorkshire was murdered in her constituency last week by a man heard shouting “Britain first.”

1315 – WHAT ARE YOU NOT ALLOWED TO DO WHILE INSIDE THE POLLING STATION?

There are all kinds of strange rules on polling day, which could make your seemingly innocuous behaviour technically illegal, or at least against the Electoral Commission’s rules.

We compiled a list of seven polling day activities that could lead to you being asked to leave the polling station, or even land you in trouble with the law.

1301 – PLAID CYMRU LEADER LEANNE WOOD CASTS HER VOTE

Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood leaves polling station in Penygraig, s. Wales #referendum#EUrefpic.twitter.com/lGtnk6sZb1

— Benjamin Wright (@benwrightjourno) June 23, 2016

Welsh politician Leanne Wood has cast her vote in Tonypandy, south Wales. The leader of the Welsh Independence party has been a prominent figure in the run-up to the EU referendum.

1247 – ALLEGED REGISTRATION ERRORS DISRUPT VOTING

The Express reported that “dozens of voters were turned away when they arrived to [cast] their vote” in a polling station in Bedfordshire:

“Residents in Leighton Buzzard were unable to have their say after they were told they were not included on the registration list.

“Angry residents hit out, describing the situation as a “total shambles” and Central Beds Council eventually made arrangements for voters who had missed out.”

It seems other voters are getting similar rejections in being able to vote, despite having a polling card:

1244 – GOOGLE AND AMAZON MAY RETHINK THEIR OPERATIONS IN THE EVENT OF A BREXIT

Tech reporter Sam Shead says theSilicon Valley giants Google and Amazon could significantly pull back on their UK operations if the country votes to leave the European Union.

1234 – THERE IS A CONSPIRACY THEORY ABOUT THE VOTING PROCESS, INVOLVING PENCILS

Voters should bring along pens to EU referendum polling stations to avoid an MI5 plot, according to Leave campaigners, cited by The Independent.

Backers of Brexit are urging people to write in pen and make sure that their ballot papers can’t be erased after the votes have been cast.

1223 – GIBRALTAR’S CHIEF MINISTER CASTS HIS VOTE

Gibraltar is a British overseas territory, historically claimed by Spain. Here Gibraltar’s chief minister, Fabian Picardo, and his wife, Justine Olivero, prepare their ballots before casting their votes in the EU referendum.

Reuters

1219 – STERLING IS JUMPING AGAIN

The pound is still going crazy:

Investing.com

1211 – THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY’S HEADQUARTERS HAS FLOODED

Torrential rain has battered London throughout the day as the public finally goes out to vote on the EU referendum.

And as a result, the Conservative party campaign headquarters flooded.

Check out the report here.

1202 – THE REFERENDUM IS NOT LEGALLY BINDING – IN THEORY

A really crucial detail about the EU referendum has gone virtually unmentioned, and it is probably the most crucial detail: Parliament does not actually have to bring Britain out of the EU if the public votes for it.

That is because the result of the referendum on Britain’s EU membership is not legally binding. It is merely advisory, and in theory it could be ignored by UK government.

For more on this see Business Insider’s intriguing interview with the University of Westminster’s Peter Catterall: This is why a Brexit will most likely not actually happen even if the public votes for it.

1154 – SHOULD YOU CHANGE GET YOUR HOLIDAY MONEY TODAY?

Over the past month, holidaymakers have wondered whether they should change their pounds into euros or US dollars ahead of the EU referendum.

Ben Moshinsky has written a simple guide explaining why it may be best to change your holiday money on Thursday.

1141 – FLOODING IS GETTING WORSE ACROSS SOME AREAS OF BRITAIN

People are posting pictures and videos on Twitter of flooding. Bad weather is historically bad for voting turnout. After all, if you can’t physically get to the polling station, how will you cast your vote?

#BlackwallTunnel is currently CLOSED northbound due to flooding. Drivers are advised to seek an alternative route. pic.twitter.com/uzcKd3exYB

— TfL Traffic News (@TfLTrafficNews) June 23, 2016

Significant transport disruption remains after flooding hits London and the South East https://t.co/s7zpZVRmOGpic.twitter.com/7jdw2n52Ch

— LBC (@LBC) June 23, 2016

This is London right now: Torrential downpours swamp capital in a month of rain #floodinghttps://t.co/wtKGhutktupic.twitter.com/Xnt5b7fZoH

— Huffington Post UK (@HuffPostUK) June 23, 2016

The polling station at Sacred Heart School, New Malden today. Wear your wellies to vote! #Referendum#Floodingpic.twitter.com/ihgvZCPnKf

— Merton Council (@Merton_Council) June 23, 2016

Biggest vote of my life..

..I didn’t realise I’d have to walk on water to cast it !#Kingston#Surbiton#Tolworthpic.twitter.com/LTTb9EXXEE

— Jakey (@Shyman33) June 23, 2016

Earlier, it was confirmed that two Kingston-Upon-Thames polling stations were closed because of flooding.

1124- 2 KINGSTON-UPON-THAMES POLLING STATIONS ARE CLOSED DUE TO FLOODING

Two Kingston-Upon-Thames polling stations are closed because of flooding:

Breaking: Kingston-upon-Thames council have closed 2 polling stations due to flooding – officials directing voters to other polling stations

— Politico Daily (@Politico_Daily) June 23, 2016

The relevant council said: “Heavy rainfall overnight has lead to us having to move a further polling station in Malden Manor.”

Here are some pictures and videos showing how bad the flooding is:

PICTURES AND VIDEO: Flooding and travel chaos in Kingston and Elmbridge https://t.co/b8tqrpfxrJpic.twitter.com/l5yyHd2k5K

— Kingston upon Thames (@KingstnThamesRR) June 23, 2016

Biggest vote of my life..

..I didn’t realise I’d have to walk on water to cast it !#Kingston#Surbiton#Tolworthpic.twitter.com/LTTb9EXXEE

— Jakey (@Shyman33) June 23, 2016

1112 – DO NOT LET TWITTER CONFUSE YOU – MARK AN “X” ON THE BALLOT FORM

OK, so the top trending hashtag on the UK channel for Twitter is #iVoted with a little picture of a box with a tick:

Twitter

But in all seriousness, if you mark a “√” in the ballot form box, it will render the ballot “spoiled.” Your vote won’t count.

Remember, if you intentionally do not want to spoil you ballot form, mark an “X” in the box:

An EU referendum postal vote ballot paper.

1055 – MARKETS UPDATE

The FTSE 100 is still jumping – up about 1.5%, reaching 6,357.12. Keep checking our market post here, for the latest updates.

Google Finance

1048 – #dogsatpollingstations – HERE IS OUR BEST SELECTION

The weather may be terrible, but many of those who have already made it to the polling stations are flooding social media, mainly Twitter, with pictures of their dogs waiting patiently outside.

Of course, Business Insider picked the 14 best we could find, including this one:

It’s back – #dogsatpollingstations – @Heisy_Pug says “don’t forget to vote” if he could talk. pic.twitter.com/HhxPOA2SBI

— Micky Welch (@m1cvv) June 23, 2016

1027 – TRAVEL CHAOS IS BLIGHTING LONDON

Flash flooding and thunderstorms are hitting rail networks. Here is the latest.

But it’s not just public transport that is suffering – the roads are being flooded too.

A car is submerged under a bridge in Battersea after heavy thunderstorms during the night #flooding#Londonpic.twitter.com/zxrnSl7yj3

— Tahira Mirza (@tahiramirza1) June 23, 2016

1015 – WHAT TO EXPECT IN THE EVENT OF A BREXIT OR A REMAIN VOTE

As we posted earlier Thursday morning, Business Insider has written a couple of reports that include forecasts on what will happen in the event of a Remain and Leave vote.

Check them out here:

• Here is what will happen on Friday if Britain votes to remain in the EU
• Here is what will happen on Friday if Britain votes to leave the EU

1008 – #dogsatpollingstations IS A HIT AGAIN ON TWITTER

Unless your pooch is a guide dog, you are unable to bring your pet into the polling station. This has led to a now longstanding tradition of people taking cute snaps of their dogs outside the polling stations.

Here’s an example:

#dogsatpollingstations make democracy worth the effort pic.twitter.com/zUX5SwA6Z6

— Elena Cresci (@elenacresci) June 23, 2016

Of course, Business Insider will bring you a selection of the best snaps later on.

1004 – THIS CHART SHOWS HOW STATUS QUO CAN SWING THE VOTE AT THE LAST MINUTE

Deutsche Bank’s Jim Reid said in a note on Thursday, which was sent to Deutsche Bank clients: “As we highlighted last week, there seemed to be either a late swing or error in polling that underestimated the support for the ‘remain’ movement in the Quebec/Scottish referendums.”

This led to a stronger remain vote than had been forecast.

Here’s the chart from Deutsche Bank:

Deutsche Bank

0952 – EDINBURGH REPORTS THAT ONE-FIFTH OF VOTERS HAVE ALREADY SUBMITTED VOTES VIA THE POST

Voters in Britain are able to choose whether to vote by post or in person.

Edinburgh Council said nearly a fifth of the Scottish city’s 345,000 voters had already done so by post.

Check out our previous report on postal voting.

Ballot boxes to be used for voting in the EU referendum seen Wednesday before being collected from storage in New Parliament House for delivery to polling stations in Edinburgh, Scotland.Reuters

0942 – EUROPEAN STOCKS ARE JUMPING

It’s a positive day for the markets after the last week of polls pointed toward support for Remain:

• FTSE 100: up 0.65% to 6,302 points.
• German DAX: up 0.66% to 10,138 points
• French CAC 40: up 0.77% to 4,413 points
• Italian FTSE MIB: up 0.36% to 17,385 points
• Spanish IBEX 35: up 0.3% to 8,728 points
• Eurostoxx 50: down 0.04% to 2,997 points

Read our full report here.

0935 – SOME BIG BETS ARE ROLLING IN AT THE BOOKIES

We cannot report which bets are happening Thursday or how people are voting until 10 p.m. BST – BUT Ladbrokes the bookmakers sent Business Insider some info about some huge bets being placed on Wednesday.

The biggest single bet placed on Remain was 10 times as large as the biggest bet on Leave, according to bookmaker William Hill.

A woman in London placed the biggest Remain bet at £100,000 ($147,750) with odds of 2/5, which would yield a £40,000 profit if the gamble comes good.

Check out the full story here.

0925 – BRITAIN’S LEADERS CAST THEIR VOTE

British Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife, Samantha, voted at a polling station in central London:

Reuters

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon voted at Broomhouse Community Hall in Glasgow, Scotland:

Reuters

Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn voted at a polling station in Islington in north London:

PA Images

0908 – THE POUND IS RALLYING

The pound is rallying against the dollar on Thursday morning as Brits go to the polls in the referendum on whether the UK should leave the European Union.

Investing.com

0853 – THIS IS WHAT THE BALLOT PAPER LOOKS LIKE

Remember to put an X in the box.

Reuters

0841 – TRAVEL CHAOS STILL HAPPENING IN LONDON

As we detailed before, pockets of Britain are suffering from terrible weather. Historically, bad weather affects turnout.

National Rail is reporting mass delays and cancellations across many parts of the country:

National Rail

One commuter sent Business Insider the following pictures of how hundreds of commuters are stranded as far out as Zone 6/Surrey in the Purley, Reedham and Kenley area and trains were overcrowded and still sitting on the platform. Station staff members were apparently handing out light refreshments to frustrated commuters:

Business Insider

Business Insider

For Transport for London, many underground lines are cancelled or suspended:

TFL

0824 – STERLING IS GOING NUTS

The pound has been going crazy over the past few weeks, and late Wednesday night there was a surge because of renewed forecasts that Remain was gaining support.

However, bad weather historically affects turnout. So when downpours and flooding started to happen across pockets of Britain, the pound fell a little. It is now kind of flat:

Investing.com

0812 – HERE’S WHAT 6 CENTRAL BANKS WILL DO IF BRITAIN VOTES TO LEAVE THE EU

Barclays has outlined how likely central banks around the world would be forced to intervene and calm the markets.

Check out the report here.

0758 – KEY TIMES FOR THIS EVENING AND POLLS

There will be NO EXIT POLLS on Thursday evening. This means when voting stops at 10 p.m. BST, unlike the General Election, there will be no official exit polls to gauge how people have voted.

However, banks and hedge funds have paid for their own exit polls. This means that only employees will be privy to the polls, which should give some inclination to how people have voted.

Sky News has commissioned a survey from YouGov, asking people how they voted on the day. This will be released at 10 p.m. BST. But this is NOT an authoritative exit poll.

HSBC says:

“Unlike in a general election, there will be no authoritative exit polls. Given there is no precedent, it is hard for pollsters to know at which polling stations to conduct exit polls in order to get a good proxy for the wider country.”

HSBC has, however, pinpointed some key areas to gauge opinion during the count:

HSBC

0742 – NOT ALL OF BRITAIN IS SUFFERING FROM BAD WEATHER

While Londoners are navigating a sea of cancelled or delayed trains, Glasgow in Scotland seems to be fairing pretty well on the weather front.

It’s a gloriously sunny morning in Glasgow; assuming will positively affect turnout for #EURef if not voters’ mood pic.twitter.com/X8MlU0HVmR

— Libby Brooks (@libby_brooks) June 23, 2016

If voter turnout can be influenced by the weather then Glasgow is looking good for a high one. Luverly weather here this morning.

— Gavin Webb (@GavFromRomford) June 23, 2016

0727 – TERRIBLE WEATHER CAUSING TRAVEL CHAOS IN LONDON

Torrential rain has already affected London’s public-transport system – and this could be a huge problem for voting turnout. Previous polling showed that London is predominantly a Remain area.

Numerous lines on the London underground have been suspended or delayed because of flooding:

TFL

Southern Rail, South West Trains and TFL rail are suffering from delays.

0711 – PEOPLE ARE FREAKING OUT ABOUT THE WEATHER

The weather in Britain is horrendous right now – overnight there were thunderstorms and lightning, and there is now a downpour of rain.

But this is a big deal, as it massively affects the turnout. And people are freaking out over it:

People don’t vote at the best of times, in good weather…. I’m concerned about the turnout

— Margot Huysman (@margotlily) June 23, 2016

Weather: Heavy thunderstorms and risk of flooding in some areas https://t.co/TXaaf8Kxv4pic.twitter.com/fatMxI3rIq

— ITV News (@itvnews) June 23, 2016

Lol we’re going to leave the EU because of weather depressing turnout in Remain areas

— Alex Hern (@alexhern) June 23, 2016

Correction: Brolly voting weather. It’s chucking it down! Doubly important to get out and vote!

— Rory Bremner (@rorybremner) June 23, 2016

The Guardian says bad weather in the SE could see less people voting today. If that’s the case then the people shouldn’t be voting anyway.

— Ryan Marshall (@rsmarshall) June 23, 2016

0700 – BRITONS START VOTING

Polling stations are now open. Voting closes at 10 p.m. BST.

Reuters

0642 – HERE IS WHEN VOTES WILL BE COUNTED

With just over 15 minutes to go until people can start voting, here is a handy chart from HSBC that outlines when we can expect the results:

HSBC

0631 – VOTING FIGURES

The EU referendum is truly historic – an estimated 46,499,537 people are entitled to take part in the vote. This is a record number for a UK poll.

In UK history, this is only the third nationwide referendum.

The votes will be counted in 382 local counting areas – representing 380 local government areas in England, Scotland, and Wales and one each for Northern Ireland and Gibraltar.

0619 – WHAT TO EXPECT IN THE EVENT OF A BREXIT OR A REMAIN VOTE

By this time Friday, we will have the result of whether the British have opted to stay in the EU.

Business Insider has written a couple of reports that include forecasts on what will happen. Check them out here:

• Here is what will happen on Friday if Britain votes to remain in the EU
• Here’s what will happen on Friday if Britain votes to leave the EU

0614 – POLLS ARE PRE-JUNE 23 ARE TOO CLOSE TO CALL

Polls published Wednesday show how close the race is.

A SurveyMonkey poll from Wednesday had 50% of the 4,000 respondents opting for Remain, compared with 47% for Leave. Only 24 hours before that, another SurveyMonkey poll had Leave leading with a 1-point lead over Remain.

Late Wednesday, TNS released the results of another poll:

EU referendum poll:

Remain: 41% (+1)

Leave: 43% (-4)

(via TNS, online / 16 – 22 Jun)

— Britain Elects (@britainelects) June 22, 2016

EU referendum poll:

Remain: 42%

Leave: 49%

(via TNS / 16 – 22 Jun)

Prev. methodology (likely voters)

— Britain Elects (@britainelects) June 22, 2016

Using methodology applied to the previous TNS poll (likely voters) gives Leave a 7pt lead. New methodology (and all voters) Leave lead by 2.

— Britain Elects (@britainelects) June 22, 2016

0600 – BRITONS HIT POLLING STATIONS IN ONE HOUR

Welcome to part one of our live coverage of the historic referendum on Britain’s membership in the European Union. Voting starts at 7 a.m. BST and ends at 10 p.m. BST.

We will deliver all developments throughout the day, but under nationwide reporting restrictions we are unable to give an indication of how people are voting until 10 p.m. BST.

At that time, when voting closes, we will bring you any opinion polls as soon as we have them, as well as the actual results as they come in throughout the night and into Friday.