After signing a letter pleading with David Cameron to stay on as Prime Minister, Reigate and Banstead MP Crispin Blunt has offered his support for Boris Johnson to succeed the departing PM after Mr Cameron announced his resignation this morning.

From this morning: Prime Minister David Cameron to RESIGN as Britain votes to leave the European Union

From this morning: EU Referendum 2016: As Britain votes to leave, did Croydon, Sutton, Merton, Wandsworth, Richmond, Kingston and Epsom vote for remain or Brexit?

Mr Cameron (pictured below) announced he would be standing down from his role as Prime Minister after the British people voted to leave the European Union in a close referendum last night.

Your Local Guardian:

More than 17 million people (51.9 per cent of the vote) backed the Leave campaign, meaning the UK will leave the EU within two years.

Mr Blunt is celebrating the UK’s decision to leave the European Union this morning.

“I’m delighted at the outcome,” he told the Epsom Guardian.

“The country needed to make a strategic choice over its role in the world.

“The country was split on this as was the Conservative party, but we have come to a settled decision.

“It is a decision that is in line with the long-term interests of the UK.”

The stock market plunged overnight and the FTSE 100 index fell by more than eight per cent within minutes of trade opening for the day, but Mr Blunt expects markets to stabilise and believes leaving the EU represents an “opportunity” for the UK.

“The markets will have to calm down and work out that not very much has changed,” he said.

“Nothing will change for at least two years.

“People will then see this economy is quite suited to a global role rather than a regional role.

“We will have the opportunity to explore all of its worldwide relationships – with the United States, with the old Commonwealth, with the new Commonwealth. There are special British relationships all over the world.”

Your Local Guardian:

Following the result of the referendum and calls from Leave campaigner Nigel Farage to quit as PM “immediately”, Mr Cameron announced he would stand down by the time of the Conservative party conference in October.

Mr Blunt was one of 85 MPs who signed Poole MP Robert Syms’ letter this week insisting Mr Cameron should stay on as PM regardless of the outcome of the referendum.

“I very much regret his decision”, Mr Blunt said.

“He had both a mandate and a duty to stay, but it was always going to be a very personal decision for him.”

Attention now turns to Mr Cameron’s replacement, with Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne and justice secretary Michael Gove being named among the frontrunners for the position.

Your Local Guardian:

Mr Blunt said: “I think Boris Johnson is a stand-out candidate.

“He was the figurehead of the Leave campaign and is a political celebrity – he has people following him down the street.

“As Mayor of London he showed he can be the chief executive of a city of 10 million people – why not a nation of 65 million people.”

What do you think of the UK voting to leave the EU? Get in touch at craig.richard@london.newsquest.co.uk