My first thoughts on Referendum result

I fear Friday will be remembered as the day Great Britain became little Britain.

A tolerant outward looking nation with a diverse culture and economy thanks to those who bring their talent here to benefit us all.

A nation with the confidence to seek common ground rather than conflict with our European family.

This morning that changed. We walked off the world stage to sulk in the corner. As the pound tumbled, the stock market crashed an the Uk economy headed towards the abyss, the Leave campaign cheered at the nations plight. They were never the patriots. Within hours they admitted the £350m saving would never happen as the lies unravel.

We now come to terms with knowing that our children are unlikely to have the freedoms or opportunities of the generation before. As a progressive and a liberal, I feel sick writing it.

I will not stand back and watch the country I love be taken over by those who seek to blame the problems of the world on the poorest, vulnerable, foreign or different.

And this is the start. Our human rights will be next to go as the authoritarians take over the Tories and government to. A disunited Europe with extremist authoritarian leaders has happened before, we must never let it happen again.

I accept defeat. I am happy to be in the 48% until I can persuade others, but I will be persuading others.

Never in my lifetime has the need for the Liberal Democrats been greater. Never before have I felt so determined to stand up for the principles of freedom, fairness, tolerance and internationalism that made our nation great