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"It's a bit too soon to know what's going to happen but I have the feeling I made a mistake," 32-year-old Pam McVey told AFP as she celebrated London's Gay Pride this weekend.
As the early implications of Thursday's historic referendum became clear, there was a buzz on social media as people shared the regrets of some of the 52 percent of Britons who voted to quit the 28-nation alliance.
"I'm a bit shocked, to be honest. I didn't think that was going to happen," said Adam, a young man interviewed on the BBC in a widely shared clip.
"My vote, I didn't think it was going to matter too much because I thought we were going to remain.
"The David Cameron resignation has blown me away to be honest. I think the period of uncertainty that we're going to have for the next couple of months, that's just been magnified now. So yeah, I'm quite worried."
Few people have had the courage to admit that they were wrong, but the hashtags #regrexit and #BrexitRegret or #Bregret were trending on Twitter -- used mostly to mock those who regretted their choice.
"We're the girl who got drunk & dumped her loving, stable boyfriend because he was a bit boring and now realises she's ruined her life," tweeted Leila Molana-Allen.
'What is the EU?'
Others had regrets that they had not voted in a referendum that will have far-reaching consequences.
"I didn't know we could vote," said Bianca Kostic-London, a 30-year-old Australian who would have been eligible because she is a citizen of the Commonwealth.
She cried when she realized. "I said it was my fault," she said, hand on her chest. "I did feel very bad and disappointed."
Research during the campaign revealed how many Britons were misinformed about the EU, particularly on immigration and economic issues -- the main focuses of the battle for votes in the run-up to the referendum.
It seemed that many did not seek to address this problem until it was too late.
Google Trends revealed that the second top search in Britain on Friday, as the results rolled in, was "What is the EU?"
For some of the regions who voted to leave, the result also prompted an urgent call for reassurance that the government in London would match any EU funds they might lose when Britain finally breaks with the bloc.
The leader of Cornwall council said he was seeking "urgent steps" to ensure the impoverished county in southwest England would be protected.
"We will be insisting that Cornwall receives investment equal to that provided by the EU program which has averaged £60 million ($82 million, 73 million) per year over the last 10 years," said John Pollard.
Similar appeals came from Yorkshire in northern England, and from the first minister of Wales, Carwyn Jones, who had advocated a vote to "Remain" but whose countrymen and women chose to leave.
Wales and its three million population has benefited from more than £4 billion since 2000 from EU structural funds.
"Hi I'm Welsh. My community depends on EU funding and I voted out. FUCK #eufuckup" @eufuckup," wrote one social media user on twitter.
Others defended their decision, right or wrong. "I voted leave. if it turns out that it was the wrong decision in the future, I have the right to regret it," wrote one.
source: interaksyon.com
