Here’s your hat, what’s your hurry? European Union diplomats urge UK’s quick exit

Britons voted 52 to 48 percent Thursday in favor of ending their country’s 43-year membership in the 28-nation bloc. “I did not think we would come out”, she said in central London. How will the United Kingdom reform itself, especially in light of Scotland’s likely call for independence?

– the founding members of the EU.

Top diplomats from the European Union’s six founding nations – France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg – met in Berlin for hastily arranged talks and stressed that the exit process should be speedy.

Brexit could also create big headaches for people moving between Britain and the continent.

Top British scientists, including one of Indian-origin, have reacted with dismay to the country’s decision to leave the European Union, which hands them almost one billion pound a year for research, terming the result a “big blow” for hiring talented people.

“Any delay would unnecessarily prolong uncertainty”.

In Colmar in eastern France, French President Francois Hollande echoed their sentiment, saying: “It will be painful for Britain but. like in all divorces, it will be painful for those who stay behind too”. And then there’s the question of whether or not David Cameron will remain Prime Minister, considering he was firmly pro-remain.

He insisted London still had a “responsibility” toward the EU.

Sturgeon, leader of the pro-independence Scottish National Party, said Friday that “Scotland has voted to stay in the European Union”, and a new referendum on independence from the United Kingdom is now “highly likely”.

“I’m not suggesting that we’re about to return to a situation of conflict in Europe”, he said.

“I do not think it would be right for me to be the captain that steers our country to its next destination”.

Yet, Juncker said he did not understand why the British government needed “until October to decide whether to send the divorce letter to Brussels”.

Cameron said there will be “no immediate change in circumstances” for Britons in the European Union and EU nationals in Britain.

Nigel Farage, leader of the UK Independence Party who campaigned for Brexit – but wasn’t part of the Vote Leave group – said implying that money sent to the European Union could be spent on the health service in future was a mistake.

On Sunday she said that she would “of course” ask her party’s members to refuse to give their “legislative consent”.

Meanwhile, Scottish leader Nicola Sturgeon said her semi-autonomous administration would start immediate talks with the European Union to ensure Scotland could remain in the bloc despite the UK-wide vote to leave.

Britain’s decision to quit the European Union could send damaging shockwaves through the bedrock Anglo-American “special relationship”, raising questions about London’s willingness and ability to back USA -led efforts in global crises ranging from the Middle East to Ukraine. A new referendum on independence is “very much on the table”, she added.

Tusk has warned that getting approval for a deal from each of the remaining 27 member states, plus the European Parliament, could take a further five years – making seven years in all. In addition, Northern Ireland’s deputy leader Martin McGuinness called for a vote to unite the two sides of the Irish border.

The result caused the pound to fall to a 31-year low of $1.3229 at one point but it recovered some ground after the Bank of England said it stood ready to pump ¡ê250 billion ($370 billion, 326 billion euros) into the financial system to avert a crisis. It’s not clear what will happen in the markets on Monday, the next trading day.

Ratings agency Moody’s downgraded its outlook for Britain, saying its creditworthiness was now at greater risk as the country would face substantial challenges to successfully negotiating its exit from the bloc.