EU bosses tell UK to make swift Brexit

European Union leaders have said that the UK must quickly negotiate its Brexit and that any delay would prolong uncertainty.

Jean-Claude Juncker, European Commission head, stressed the "Union of the remaining 27 members will continue" despite the UK vote by 52 per cent to 48 per cent to leave the EU.

Juncker today started crisis talks with European Parliament president Martin Schulz, president of the European Council Donald Tusk and Dutch PM Mark Rutte.

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The EU leaders then released a statement saying they regretted but respected the British decision.

They called for the UK "to give effect to this decision of the British people as soon as possible, however painful that process may be. Any delay would unnecessarily prolong uncertainty".

The statement added: "We stand ready to launch negotiations swiftly with the United Kingdom regarding the terms and conditions of its withdrawal from the European Union."

They added that the deal agreed with David Cameron in February to protect London's financial markets, curb immigration and opt out of closer union "ceases to exist" and "there will be no renegotiation".