Britain has not seen a political debate quite like it. The EU referendum was a heated and often unpleasant battle, causing divides between communities and within political parties.

The morning after the night before the divide was all the clearer. Gravesend and Dartford were Kent’s most emphatic Brexit backers, but there will still some disappointed voters in the towns on Friday.

Both local Labour groups were left to reflect on a beaten Remain campaign.

Gravesham leader Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, former councillor and Mayor of Gravesham, said that while the result was not a surprise, he is now fearful for the country’s future.

“Our country has made a decision and we have to respect the decision that has been made,” he said.

“It had been the case that for most of the campaign the polls thought Kent would vote leave, so it is not surprising in that sense, but overall I am genuinely fearful for the future of our country’s economy and unity.

“Now that we have voted to come out of the EU, there will be a move from certain people in Scotland and Northern Ireland — who mostly voted to stay — to break up the UK.

“Local impact will be dependent on what happens nationally — it was very sad to see the crash in the market and the pound plummeting this morning and that will have an impact on all of us.

“We have to come together now to try and make sure we get the best possible results going forward in terms of how we secure our country’s future.”

"It was very sad to see the crash in the market and the pound plummeting this morning and that will have an impact on all of us." Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi.

His Dartford counterpart, Cllr Jonathon Hawkes, described the public’s decision to back Brexit as ‘a seismic event’.

While 64% of Dartford voters chose to leave, Cllr Hawkes insisted that the town’s future would have been more secure with Britain remaining a member of the EU.

He said: “There is little value in not accepting what has happened is a seismic event. The decision will have a huge impact on our country and our town.

“Clearly, lots of people in Dartford will be pleased with the result, but we should also recognise many will also be concerned and worried, including our businesses that trade with the EU and those who work in them.

“Leaders in our country, whether they be in politics, business or civil society now have a huge responsibility to take the decision people have made and plot a course that protects our jobs, our security and our economy.

VIDEO: How Kent voted in the EU Referendum.

“We need to get the best possible deal for our country. We should also recognise that there are divisions in our country that need to be healed. You only need to look at the result and the map of how the UK voted to see that.

“It has been a referendum campaign that has at times, displayed the worst of our politics. We need to move on and seek to unify our country again.”

Cllr Hawkes also called on people in Dartford to continue to be welcome visitors from the EU and showcase ‘tolerance, community and diversity’.

“It has been a referendum campaign that has at times, displayed the worst of our politics. We need to move on and seek to unify our country again.” Jonathon Hawkes.

The referendum was a rare instance in which Cllr Hawkes’ view was shared by council leader Jeremy Kite, who also voted for Britain to stay.

For others, the referendum result represents a first step into a bright new future. Many leave campaigners, including Dartford MP Gareth Johnson, are excited by the prospect of Britain being more firmly in control of its trade and policies.

“Dartford voted overwhelmingly to leave the EU and I am proud to have supported this position too,” said Mr Johnson.

“We are today entering a new chapter but I feel strongly that leaving the EU will ultimately be a good thing for the UK.

“There will undoubtedly be difficult times ahead but it is essential we keep our nerve. Britain can stand proud today and look forward to a better future.

“We are strong enough to make a success of this new direction for our country and so we need to take this opportunity to move Britain forward.”

Former Mayor of Dartford Cllr Avtar Sandhu also backed Leave, posting to Twitter that ‘we are a great nation and we can stand on our own two feet’.

Their views were shared by Gravesham MP Adam Holloway and Bryan Sweetland, the county councillor for Gravesham Rural.

Cllr Sweetland said: “It is not going to happen overnight, probably not for a couple of years, but I believe we are better off making our own decisions here in the UK and not have important decisions that affect us being taken in Brussels.

"Leaving the EU will open up many exciting opportunities to trade with other parts of the world as well as Europe." Bryan Sweetland.

“Of course there will be challenges but we are a large country with a growing economy and leaving the EU will open up many exciting opportunities to trade with other parts of the world as well as Europe.

“There is a lot of work for our government to do now and I think we all need to get behind this decision and ensure that Great Britain continues to be a great and safe place to live for the sake of children and future generations.”

Gravesend’s Conservative Club in Parrock Street was also a hive of positivity on Friday afternoon. The club’s chairman, Alistair Ellis, was delighted with the outcome of the referendum.

“The referendum result is excellent news, there is no question about that,” said the 76-year-old.

“It was all about immigration. You go to hospitals and there are big queues, you have schools where people are wanting to get in and they can’t. People have had enough of immigration and we have got to stop them coming in.

“The result will not make much difference in the next two or three years and now we need a strong leader with a plan. Boris Johnson is a waste of space because everyone thinks he is a joke.

“Britain will be better off but they have to get the leadership right. If the captain of the ship is a useless individual then the ship will hit the rocks.”

Other members of the club joined the chairman in celebrating. Edward Stevenson, 84, said: “Britain will be prosperous again, like it used to be back in the old days.

“The pound dropping was bound to happen. I think it will pick up and will not stay like that for a long time. Now we do not have to rely on Europe.”

Find out what impact Brexit could have on local business owners.