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pens wot won it

Tongue-in-cheek voters are claiming ‘pencilgate’ was behind the Brexit victory

EU referendum result declared as 'victory for ordinary people'

Pencilgate

WITH Britain voting overwhelmingly to leave the EU, people are jokingly claiming it was because Brexiteers used PENS at the polling station.

Yesterday Leave voters were mocked after it emerged some feared the EU referendum may be rigged in favour of David Cameron, with some thinking MI5 was involved.

Lee Dyson
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Lee Dyson stood outside a polling station in Stockton yesterday, giving out pens to anyone who wanted oneCredit: NCJ Media

Many took to social media to ask why they were given a pencil to vote.

But today they are celebrating, and people have taken to Twitter to say by using pens the votes were counted and could not be rubbed out.

Union Jack
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A taxi driver celebrates following the result of the EU referendumCredit: Reuters
EU referendum
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Supporters of leaving the EU celebrate the referendum result at a party hosted by Leave.EU in central LondonCredit: PA

It comes after tense scenes at a polling station yesterday where police were called because a woman was lending her pen to other voters.

It is believed it had been suggested she had been trying to influence the way people were voting in the EU referendum.

Jacqueline Jackson
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The police were called to a polling station after Jacqueline Jackson lent her pen to votersCredit: Twitter

But in the video clip, which has been uploaded to Twitter, Jacqueline Jackson explains to a PCSO this is not the case and she was simply lending a pen because there were only pencils in the polling station.

Despite her explanation, the officer is still seen to be taking details from the woman who describes herself as 100% Ukip.

And today Ms Jackson is clearly delighted about the EU referendum result, and tweeted that she believes other countries will follow Britain's lead:

Yesterday in Stockton, Lee Dyson sat outside his polling station lending pencils to people who want to vote.

The 36-year-old told : “When I went in, it was just pencils and I thought ‘why? There’s no reason?’”

“I checked and found out you can use pens, so I decided to make sure other people knew that too by sitting outside today, handing them out.

“They didn’t like it when I first turned up. They tried to move me on, but then I was allowed to stay.

“A lot of people have brought their own pens because of what’s been on the internet, but a lot haven’t and were happy to get one to take in.”

Lee Dyson
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Lee Dyson made sure anyone who wanted to vote had a pen they could use, instead of using the polling station-supplied pencilCredit: NCJ Media
Nigel Farage
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Ukip leader Nigel Farage hailed the referendum result as a victory for ordinary peopleCredit: Getty Images

Jubilant Ukip boss Nigel Farage echoed Ms Jackson's sentiment in his victory speech this morning, saying: "I hope this is the first step towards a Europe of sovereign nation states; trading together, neighbours together, friends together - but without flags, anthems or useless old unelected presidents."

He told of rumours that the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Austria and Italy were looking to make their exit from the EU.

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