Brexit: Queen urges Britain to 'calm down'

Queen Elizabeth II on Saturday urged Britain's political leaders to calm down in the wake of the chaos triggered by the Brexit vote and allow "room for quiet thinking and contemplation" before they decide their next move.

The monarch used her address at the opening of the fifth session of the Scottish Parliament to convey the advice, the Telegraph reported.

Referring to the political and economic turmoil that has enveloped the country since, she said that Britons "live and work in an increasingly complex and demanding world" with events and developments occurring at "remarkable speed".

The Queen admitted that the ability to "stay calm and collected" in such circumstances can be "hard" but argued that a major hallmark of leadership is the ability to take a step back.

She argued this would allow "sufficient room for quiet thinking and contemplation" and a "deeper consideration of how challenges and opportunities can be best addressed".

In response to the Queen, First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon delivered a highly political speech to the parliament in which she said Scotland "should play our part in a stronger Europe and a better world".

Referring to the referendum result, the First Minister also pledged to "take forward the will of our people" and praised the contribution of foreign migrants, including European students, to Scotland.

--IANS

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