PEOPLE have been taking stock of last week’s historic decision to leave the European Union.

And not everybody has given up the Remain cause: signatories on the nationwide petition calling for a second EU referendum, which passed 3.6-million on Monday, included 5,213 people from Torridge and West Devon and 6,782 from central Devon.

But buoyant Leave campaigners in West Devon have labelled such demands ‘pie in the sky’.

Derek Sargent, who stood as UKIP candidate in Torridge and West Devon at last year’s election and was Vote Leave co-ordinator for the constituency, said people had been telling him the last thing they wanted was another campaign.

‘The decision has been taken’, he said. ‘There has been a lot of weeping and wailing but what we’ve got to do is settle down, get a new Prime Minister in place, move forward and negotiate how we’re leaving the EU.’

He said Leave campaigners were delighted: ‘A lot of UKIP members have been doing this for 20 years now. They were ridiculed because of their views and they kept on going, increasing our vote, and we’re obviously cock-a-hoop now because we’ve achieved our aim.’

But the party would keep going, he said: ‘We’ve got to make sure we go through with independence from Europe. We’re not going to sit back, do nothing and end up with a wishy-washy deal.’

Tory MPs Geoffrey Cox (Leave) and Mel Stride (Remain) were divided in campaigning – but united in the wake of the result in describing the future as a challenge.

Central Devon MP Mr Stride said: ‘I respect the decision of the British people to leave the EU although, as I have always argued, leaving is going to represent a hugely challenging path.

‘I, and my fellow Conservative MPs, will now elect a new leader in the coming months and we will unite in continuing to deliver on our manifesto and to steer our country through the challenges ahead.’

His West Devon and Torridge counterpart Mr Cox said: ‘The decision of the electorate presents our country with a great opportunity and our government with a great challenge to propose a new and better relationship with the EU and to re-invigorate our democratic institutions. I shall work with my colleagues of all parties to ensure that happens.’

Mr Cox said he believed it was far too early to assess the overall costs and benefits a vote to leave might have on the constituency.

‘However, I know that in the short term, the lowering of the pound will help the farming sector and export industry which makes up a big part of my constituency,’ he said.

‘Both the Treasury and the Bank of England have come forward stating that they are well prepared for this result. They have both engaged in extensive contingency planning and UK banks are in better shape than they were before the 2008 financial crisis.

‘We have also been informed that the Bank of England is prepared to inject an additional £250-billion to ensure that financial institutions do not run short of cash during this period of uncertainty.

He added: ‘We will now be seeking to negotiate a more flexible trade-based arrangement with the European Union, which is in the interests of both the UK and the EU. This should be concluded in a manner that will encourage prosperous trade between us. I have no doubt that this is achievable over the coming months.’

Regards the party leadership Mr Cox said: ‘I will be taking the time to carry out consultation sessions with my association and local party members. This is what I did when David Cameron was selected and ensures I know the sentiments of my local party. However, I am aware that that we do not have much time to carry out these consultations.’

Speaking in reaction to the call for a second referendum Mr Cox said: ‘We cannot go on having never-ending referendums as it would discredit our democracy and the way we run things.

‘This referendum produced a very high turnout of 72 per cent with six million more people voting in this referendum than the previous general election. Additionally, there was a clear margin of over one million votes in favour of leaving the European Union, this includes one million Scottish votes. Therefore I simply cannot see on what basis a second referendum would be held.’

Conservative MP for South East Cornwall Sheryll Murray, who also supported the Leave campaign, described the decision as ‘a brave step’.

She said:?‘Firstly I would like to thank the people of Cornwall for taking the brave step to vote to leave the EU. Britain now faces a new relationship with Europe.

‘This will not happen overnight and will take many lengthy negotiations but I will be in Parliament fighting to ensure that Cornwall and its farmers still get the funding needed. I will also continue to fight to get a better deal for our fishermen as we extract ourselves from the failed CFP.

‘I was sad to hear of David Cameron’s resignation as Prime Minister and was one of the many MPs who wrote him a letter asking him to stay. He has been an excellent Prime Minister who has done so much to turn our struggling economy around. I would like to thank him for all he has done.’

A spokesperson from West Devon Borough Council said it was too early to say what the impact of the vote on the area might be.

‘We are in contact with the Local Government Association who have recently issued a statement. It is unlikely that any current funding arrangements will change because the Government has yet to negotiate the exit.’

The LGA statement has said local government is going to be central in bringing communities together following this vote and therefore needs ‘a seat around the table when decisions are taken’.

The statement said: ‘There cannot be an assumption that power over these services is simply transferred from Brussels to Westminster. If services are delivered locally, then the power over how to run them should rest locally too.’