Londoners sign independence petition after Brexit result

After most Britons voted to leave the European Union, tens of thousands of Londoners took to social media to express their opposition.

Around 100,000 Londoners signed a petition organized by James O’Malley on the change.org website, asking Mayor Sadiq Khan to declare London an independent state.

The petition read: “Declare London independent from the UK and apply to join the EU.”

“London is an international city, and we want to remain at the heart of Europe,” the petition said.

“Let’s face it — the rest of the country disagrees. So rather than passive aggressively vote against each other at every election, let’s make the divorce official and move in with our friends on the continent.

“Mayor Sadiq, wouldn’t you prefer to be President Sadiq? Make it happen!”, it said.

Khan responded to the referendum outcome by issuing a statement.

He said: “It is crucial that London has a voice at the table during those renegotiations, alongside Scotland and Northern Ireland.”

“Although we will be outside the EU, it is crucial that we remain part of the single market,” he added.

“Leaving the single market of 500 million people — with its free-trade benefits — would be a mistake. I will be pushing the government to ensure this is the cornerstone of the negotiations with the EU.”

Another petition on change.org read: “London to remain part of the European Union”  gathering over 9,000 signatures.

Scotland and Northern Ireland were the only other parts of the UK that voted to stay in the European Union.