VOTERS and leaders across Oxfordshire are waking up to news that the UK has backed a Brexit and will bow out of the EU after 43 years.

All districts in the county opted to stay in the union aside from Cherwell, where a slim majority swung the vote to leave, but results across the country spelled victory for the leave campaign. 

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Oxford City Council leader Bob Price warned the vote for Brexit will have "catastrophic consequences" for Oxford and the rest of the country.

Reacting to the news this morning, he added: "Just as predicted, the value of the pound has collapsed to levels not seen for 30 years, which will push up fuel and food prices and make holidays abroad more expensive.

"I am very sad that a majority of the nation could be taken in by a Leave campaign that was both mendacious and xenophobic.

"Cutting our country off from a single market of half a billion people will deal an incalculable economic blow to the UK."

Ed Vaizey, Wantage MP and Government minister was a staunch supporter of the remain campaign but said we “have to respect the result”.

He said: “I was pleased that Vale and South Oxfordshire voted pretty strongly to remain. My constituents agreed it was better to be in the union. What’s quite clear is that this will not happen overnight, we won’t rush into a decision. We have time to think through our relationships going forward.

"My priority is to protect key investment like at the BMW plant and huge scientific centre in Harwell. My job as a local MP is to make sure I can protect the future of my constituents in terms of economy as best as I can.

“It’s a very clear decision by the British people. I respect the voices of the leave side – it is clear we must all work together. It is crucial that the country itself unites behind the decision. Although my constituents wanted to remain, the result is clear.”

He reassured residents that the split would be a “gradual process”.

Nicola Blackwood, MP for Oxford West and Abingdon, agreed to stand unified in the face of defeat.

Oxfordshire County Councillor Laura Price, for Witney South and Central, took to Twitter to express her sadness.

The Labour councillor said she was "devastated", adding: "After last year's general election I just thought it could not get any worse, and now it has.

"I feel sad that we had the referendum in the first place as I didn't think it was necessary.

"I see myself as a relentlessly optimistic person but it's really hard when something like this happens."

But Vote Leave representative Matthew Barber, leader of Vale of White Horse District Council, said he was "delighted" by the Brexit.

Commenting on Vale district's result, which favoured the remain campaign, he added: "I'm not particularly disappointed with our result. Expectation differed in different voting areas, I am not surprised given the demographic of the Vale. Every vote does count and it was much better than it could have been."

The Conservative councillor hailed the result as "democracy in action" on his blog. 

He wrote: "The politicians who have already been on the airwaves castigating the electorate for getting it wrong highlight the arrogance that many feel characterises our political class.

"The people are the masters, the politicians the servants of those people, not the other way round.

"Today I believe we have taken a great step forward to restore our democracy, to reclaim our sovereignty and to see us on course for a brighter future in the world."

Brexit supporter John Cotton, leader of South Oxfordshire District Council, said: "For the councils themselves there will be no immediate impact - all our brushings with Brussels are few and far between.

"I'm not surprised, It was entirely predictable. I think a pragmatic deal will be struck between ourselves and our friends. It's in both sides' interests to carry on trading, a trade deal needs to be done and that's my expectation.

"There are issues like with JET at Culham which is funded by the European Union - it's a really crucial thing to sort out. There are a number of options and we can carry on being successful.

"There are going to be fascinating conversations with leaders. I don't think the European Union will remain in its current form for much longer. This is a catalyst for change and the UK is leading the way." 

Oxford Mail reporter Callum Keown is at Oxford Railway Station this morning gaging reaction from commuters.

Oxfordshire county councillor and former magistrate John Howson said: “If people don’t feel the economy is viable or turn it around such as immigration, frankly the result doesn’t surprise me.

 “When I was a young boy the staple employment was in coal, iron, steel and railway – all have disappeared. As a nation we never really replaced them to give strong ambition and challenge those people left behind."

The Liberal Democrat, who is also a professor at Oxford University, said: "Locally, boarding schools rely on overseas students who will be seeing the fall in sterling. It worries me – it could put more pressure on state schools and deepen the teacher-supply crisis.

“The university and science sectors are driven so much on the success of the economic heartland of Oxford. They receive significant research and collaboration from across Europe. I hope they will be putting measures in place to make sure there is funding to recognise that quality of research. 

“The big anxiety in Oxford will be whether BMW continue to invest in Cowley. It would be devastating for that group of workers if they pulled funding.

“We don’t know what the political landscape is going to look like – there will have to be a general election sooner or later. It’s unchartered territory. 

“It will work itself out, we will survive and hopefully create a new Britain but it is going to be difficult. I am going to have to fight continually for a tolerant and liberal society.” 

He said it was "absolutely critical" to keep ties with cross-border crime-fighting agency Europol and continue to enforce the Human Rights Act 1998.