News

The terrifying chart that shows what happened to the pound after Brexit

Picture: WPA Pool/ Getty
Picture: WPA Pool/ Getty

The financial future of the UK is standing on a precarious bridge at the moment. The side we left was the safety of the EU's single market. The side we're heading towards remains an uncertain, post-Brexit mess.

Lead Brexiteer Boris Johnson is insisting that the British economy is safe following the vote to leave the EU, and claims the pound is doing even better than it was in 2013 and 2014 (which is only a half truth: pegged against the Euro, the pound is slightly higher; pegged against the dollar, it has plummeted to its lowest level since the 80s).

Every major currency on the planet shot up against the pound immediately following the results of the referendum. The unprecedented levels can be seen in the graphic from Statista below:

As well as currencies, the value of gold, silver and platinum rocketed as investors scrambled to put their investments in safer assets.

The pound even fell against the Zimbabwean dollar - but at the time of writing, things are improving. A very little bit.

More: 17 of the most 'ouch' comments from the Labour shadow minister resignation letters to Jeremy Corbyn

More: People are re-sharing this cartoon about Michael Gove's 'expertise'

The Conversation (0)