Brexit: Voters 'doomed' or delighted in Dumfries
24 June 2016
Sitting on the steps outside the historic Midsteeple in Dumfries, Stephen Comiskey was taking in the outcome of the EU referendum. He chose the words of a famous Doonhamer, John Laurie of Dad's Army fame, to sum up his feelings on the result. "I just think that we're doomed," he told me. "I think it is going to be pretty bad for the UK as a whole. "I do hope that Scotland votes to be independent eventually. "The EU brought a lot of good things into the UK. It protected maternity leave, workers' rights, fair pay - I think that will all change, not immediately obviously, but down through the years." Not everyone, of course, shared that view - in a region where the result was one of the closest in Scotland. Dumfries and Galloway voted by 53.1% to 46.9% in favour of remaining in the European Union. In the neighbouring Scottish Borders the result was a more resounding 58.5% to 41.5% for staying in. The mixed reaction on the streets of Dumfries appeared to reflect the split in the vote across the region. One person who voted to leave was Margaret Radley from Lochmaben, who was naturally pleased with the overall outcome. She said the UK had managed on its own before and she could see no reason why it could not do so again. For many people, however, the result raised numerous questions. "I had hoped that we were going to stay in the EU because I didn't think the other side gave me any clear picture of what would happen," said Lynsey Pennycook. "So I think the future is quite uncertain." That was echoed by Karen Williams, who said she was "really confused" by the outcome, while Yvonne Livingstone saw further political consequences. "I voted for Remain, but it is what it is, isn't it?" she said. "It was no big shock what came next that the prime minister has resigned. He had to, he had no other option. "Everything is all uncertain now, everything is totally in turmoil, nobody can give us any definitive answers as to what is going to happen - it is just shocking. "It just leaves us wide open to another Scottish referendum." BBC Scotland took to the streets of towns and cities across the country to find out what people feel about the decision to leave the EU. Sharon Johnstone agreed that could be the case. "I just think we had the independence vote obviously and now we've had another vote and it has completely changed things around," she said. "Personally, for the SNP, I think it is probably a good result because now it will maybe push for another independence vote. "But with regards to as it is at the moment there is uncertainty everywhere - more so in Scotland than anywhere else." Bill Hunt, originally from Dundee, but living in southern Scotland for more than 40 years, said that while Scotland did not depend on Europe it did receive a lot of support. "It is a total disgrace that we have got 62% in favour and we are going to be dragged out," he said. "But I am a nationalist, I voted for independence the last time and I can only hope that we take our time and we get it the next time." Some, however, were not looking that far ahead. "We can do what we like now our own selves and not be told by Mrs Merkel in Germany how to do it," said Doonhamer Colin Campbell.
BBC Scotland took to the streets of towns and cities across the country to find out what people feel about the decision to leave the EU.
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How has Scotland reacted to the Brexit vote?