London: UK Prime Minister David Cameron today announced that he will step down by October after UK voted to leave the European Union in a historic referendum.
In his official statement outside 10 Downing Street, Mr Cameron, who was one of the leaders of the Remain campaign, said the decision warranted a change in leadership.
"I will do everything I can as Prime Minister to steady the ship over the coming weeks and months, but I do not think it would be right for me to try to be the captain that steers our country to its next destination," he said.
"This is not a decision I've taken lightly. But I do believe it's in the national interest to have a period of stability, and then the new leadership required.
"In my view we should aim to have a new prime minister in place by the start of the Conservative Party conference in October."
Earlier, UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage had called for Mr Cameron to resign, saying he now dreamed about an independent Britain and an end to the EU.
"The EU is dying. I hope this is the first step towards a Europe of sovereign nation states trading together, neighbours together, friends together but without flags, or useless old unelected presidents," he said.
Farage hailed it as the UK's "independence day" but the Remain camp called it a "catastrophe".
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