London, Feb 1 (TIWN) The UK has officially left the European Union (EU) after 47 years of membership and more than three years after it voted to do so in a referendum, finally putting an end to one of the most divisive political issues in the country's history, media reports said on Saturday.

Brexit became official Friday at 11 p.m. in London and midnight in Brussels, where the EU is headquartered.  Thousands of enthusiastic Brexit supporters gathered outside the U.K. Parliament in London cheered as the hour struck. In a recorded message, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson called Britain’s departure “a moment of real national renewal and change” that would lead to a bolder, more energetic nation.