Remainers may have lost the battle to keep the UK in the EU but they could take a small crumb of comfort from the fact that they are victorious in the charts.

Two songs fought it out to be this week's most downloaded song - one was the EU anthem Ode to Joy, the other a song written by comedian Dominic Frisby called... well we can't really repeat the title here, suffice to say it was less than polite about the EU.

Neither made it to the number one slot but with Andre Reiu's version of Ode to Joy reaching number 30 it beat Mr Frisby's song which got to the 43rd position.

The real winner was Lewis Capaldi whose Before You Go beat them both to number one.

Laura Kuenssberg
BBC political editor

The decision that the country took in 2016 caused a collective nervous breakdown in Westminster – it was a real shock to the people who had been in charge for such a long time.

And that’s why this has been such a torrid battle.

But we are now embarking on this and what follows next might be quite a white knuckle ride.

Very tough trade talks lie in wait. So much has to be sorted out, whether it’s fishing, immigration.

Every part of our law, every part of our rules and regulations that govern business and everything else in this country – those final details have to be hammered out.

No 10 wants to do it by the end of the year - many people think that is extremely optimistic.

But in the big picture, the fundamental thing is after all the doubts, all the jeopardy, that fundamental question has been settled and we will be leaving the European Union in a few hours time.

If you wanted to own your own copy of Boris Johnson's Brexit deal - signed by the man himself - you may have missed your chance.

A copy of the EU (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill has just been sold on ebay for the princely sum of £212.10.

Tom Edgington
BBC Reality Check

Immediately after Brexit, most things will stay the same - at least to start with.

That's because the UK is about to enter an 11-month transition period. During this time, the UK will continue to follow EU rules while negotiators try to agree a deal on trade as well as many other parts of the future relationship (like security cooperation and access to fishing waters).

That means any big changes won't happen until at least 2021.

You can read more here about what will change and what will stay the same after Brexit.

Scotland voted 62% to remain in the European Union and many pro-EU demonstrators have been out in force today.

Image source, PA Media

Comedian Matt Forde and Brexiteer Nigel Farage say goodbye to the EU with farewell letters.

In addition to the Brexit celebrations today has also been marked by those who would prefer we weren't leaving the EU.

Image source, AFP/ Getty Images

Image source, EPA

Image source, EPA

The BBC's Martine Croxall is in the Rising Sun Pub in Kettering, Northamptonshire - an area which voted 61% to leave.

Locals are marking Brexit day with bunting, sing-alongs and Great British beef on the menu.

Northamptonshire-born Russell Eaton, who supports leaving the European Union, is among those celebrating.

He wants to see the UK reforge links with the Commonwealth as well as strengthen its relationship with countries like China and the US.

“I think the prime minister can do it,” he adds.

Will Taylor confronted Boris Johnson in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, on the eve of the EU referendum in 2016.

Parisians tell the BBC they're sad the UK is leaving - but they remain good-humoured.

French President Emmanuel Macron called the UK's exit from the EU "a shock", in a brief TV address.

"It's a historic warning sign which must... be heard by all of Europe and make us reflect," he said.

The EU's failure to reform, he said, had made it a "scapegoat". He stressed that "we need more Europe" to deal with the challenge of powers such as the US and China.

He also said the French people would never forget how much they owe to the UK.

Image source, AFP

BBC News Channel

Richard Tice, chair of the Brexit Party, says tonight's gathering in Parliament Square will be "a celebration of democracy".

“It’s absolutely right to celebrate that democracy has ultimately prevailed over the establishment, over big business, with all their scare mongering," he tells the BBC.

He's optimistic about the prime minister's deadline to secure a trade deal with the EU by the end of the year and says there's been a "massive shift" in the EU's attitude.

“In the last few weeks, they have suddenly woken up to the fact that the negotiating leverage has moved significantly in our favour because the government in the general election had the confidence to say we’re not extending the transition beyond the end of 2020," he says.

Image source, PA Media

Boris Johnson told cabinet ministers in a meeting in Sunderland that a "new chapter in the United Kingdom's story" would start after 23:00 GMT.

His spokesman said: "The prime minister began by saying that, today, we start a new chapter in the United Kingdom's story, turning a page on the division of the last three and a half years and going full steam ahead to bring the nation together and level up opportunity for everyone, right across the country."

He said the cabinet discussed the government's "future trade agenda", which includes seeking a Canada-style free trade agreement with the EU.

Read more on what Canada-style free trade deal is here.

The prime minister also thanked Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay for the work he and his department has carried out. His department is being wound down today.

The cabinet also received an update from Health Secretary Matt Hancock on coronavirus, following the confirmation of two cases in the UK.

Radio 4 PM

Lord Mandelson goes on to say that he believes it was a "tactical mistake" to have opposed Theresa May's Brexit deal.

"I helped shape the original concept of a People's Vote campaign - but to advocate a second referendum on the deal that was being presented to the British people, you needed to accept a deal and to put it in place and have it get through the House of Commons in the first place in order to argue for your People's Vote."

He says they did not back Theresa May's deal "because we found it hard both to be people who didn't agree with Brexit in the first place and people who might appear to be arguing for a softer Brexit.

"And it was a tactical manoeuvre that frankly we didn't pull off well enough."

On rejoining the EU, he says he does not think the UK "is going to find the stomach for another referendum on European Union membership for some time".

But, he says, "never say never", adding: "It's not going to be in the foreseeable future... possibly in my lifetime."

Radio 4 PM

Lord Mandelson, former Labour cabinet minister and EU trade commissioner, has told Evan Davis on Radio 4's PM programme that he is "sad" about Brexit.

“I’m sad because Britain has done so much to shape Europe over the last half century for the better but also we’ve received so many benefits from it," he says, in an interview that will be broadcast at 17:30 GMT.

“Sad, but not angry?” Davis asks.

Lord Mandelson replies: "If I am angry, it's at my own party because I mean, frankly, Jeremy Corbyn and the manifesto he fought the election on did so much to give Boris Johnson his huge majority."

Alice Bhandhukravi
BBC London

At Romford Market in east London this afternoon, traders are welcoming the UK's imminent departure with plenty of bunting and singing Land of Hope and Glory.

Traders at the Best Plaice stall say they voted to leave the EU to "gain fishing rights".