Brexit: All you need to know about the UK leaving the EU
Brexit: All you need to know about the UK leaving the EU By Alex Hunt & Brian Wheeler BBC News As the UK officially notifies the European Union that it is leaving, here is an easy-to-understand guide to Brexit - beginning with the basics. What does Brexit mean? It is a word that has become used as a shorthand way of saying the UK leaving the EU - merging the words Br itain and exit to get Brexit, in a same way as a possible Greek exit from the euro was dubbed Grexit in the past. Why is Britain leaving the European Union? A referendum - a vote in which everyone (or nearly everyone) of voting age can take part - was held on Thursday 23 June, 2016, to decide whether the UK should leave or remain in the European Union. Leave won by 51.9% to 48.1%. The referendum turnout was 71.8%, with more than 30 million people voting. What was the breakdown across the UK...