Brexit: Remain voters 'dazed' in Glasgow as Leave voters voice optimism
24 June 2016
In Glasgow city centre, there is very little small talk. Commuters, although walking briskly, seem to be moving with more hesitation than usual as they head to jobs in chain stores and offices. Many are talking intently into their mobile phones - about Jeremy Corbyn, the economy, and about the possibility of another independence referendum. Remain voters in Scotland's largest city seem dazed, while those who voted Leave are calm and optimistic. Despite US presidential hopeful Donald Trump's Twitter claim that "the place is going wild over the vote", the atmosphere is subdued. In Glasgow, the difference between Leave and Remain camps appears, on the surface at least, to be between those who go to work wearing shirts and ties and those who get their hands dirty. William McHendry, a 23-year old mortgage advisor on his way to buy a supermarket sandwich before starting work, said: "I'm a bit shocked to be honest, I didn't expect it to be a Leave vote. "I'm mostly shocked that Scotland voted Remain and the rest voted out. "If there's any good to come of this, it will be another independence referendum." Asked for his reaction, smartly-dressed civil servant Jim Morrice, 59, said: "Horror, basically. I would suggest it's going to be difficult. "Scotland has emphatically voted to remain in. It's going to be complicated." 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. But Alex Fleming, 60, a quarry supervisor from Oban who is visiting Glasgow, said: "I voted to come out. The debate on TV kind of made my mind up. People were just degrading those on the other side - the Brexit side - instead of sticking to what they were going to do. "In general I felt happy. I'm quite taken aback by the Scottish thing. I think we're better together in Britain. It might sound silly, but you have five or 10 officials in Brussels that you didn't vote for. " He added: "I was quite sad the prime minister resigned. I felt sad for him and his wife. " Margaret Douglas, 53,  from Govan, was too busy to stop but chatted brightly as she walked to her job in a shop.  She said: "I just voted out. I think it's about time people weren't told what to do. "I don't know what's going to happen." Another woman in her 50s, who worked handing out fliers for a fast-food restaurant and did not want give her name, said: "I'm so happy. That's all I'm going to say. "I'm sick of a lot of things." Voter turnout was low in Glasgow at 56%.  The city voted by 168,335 (67%) to 84,474 (33%) in favour of Remain and the thoughts of many are now turning to a second independence referendum. Jane Gallacher, 35, said: "I didn't vote at all. To be honest I think it's all a load of crap. I would rather we were out. "I think we deserve our own country -  Scotland." Despite immigration being a key focus of the Leave campaign, Eritrean refugee Helen, aged 30, who was not eligible to vote, was relaxed about what the future might hold. She was granted asylum in Scotland two years ago and now lives in temporary accommodation in the city centre. Helen said: "I don't understand Brexit. The British people know better than me.  I will accept what the British people accept. "They have been very kind, God bless them. It will not change anything."
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?