EU referendum: Divided views as dust settles on historic poll

And if the opinions of people on the streets of Shropshire are anything to go by, the issues which have divided the nation over the past four months are unlikely to disappear any time soon.

Speaking to people in and around Wellington, it seems that opinions remain sharply divided about Britain's future.

And few think that the arguments put forward during the campaign had helped them come to their conclusion.

What's more, going forward it appears the reputation of our politicians has taken a bashing that they will struggle to recover from.

Out shopping in Victoria Street were Bob and Pat Kiernan, from Apley Park.

Both believe the standard of the debate had been very poor, and will have done little to enhance the reputations of Prime Minister David Cameron or Chancellor George Osborne.

Mrs Kiernan says the politicians who took part in the debate had done little to make their case, but had focused more on attacking the other side.

"We have had no positivity, instead it's just been threats of armageddon. It's been complete rubbish from the Remain side."

Mrs Kiernan, who is 70, says the debate had no impact whatsoever on how she voted.

"I had a postal vote which I did in May, so I wouldn't have to take any notice of all that."

She says one person who has come out of the debate with some credit is Birmingham MP Gisela Stewart, one of Labour's most high-profile campaigners to leave the EU.

"I thought she was very calm and collected," says Mrs Tiernan. "Boris also seemed very knowledgeable, but perhaps a bit provocative. Mr Cameron was a disaster and so was George Osborne. All they have done is threatened us."

Mr Kiernan, who is 68, adds: "They have just worked people into a lather. For all the dire warnings about the economy, the stock markets have just performed normally."

Mrs Kiernan says it could now prove difficult for Mr Cameron to put the Government back together after such an acrimonious campaign.

Laurens Otter, 86, says the debate had amounted to little more than a squabble between different factions of the Conservative Party.

"We've had the old Blairites working with the moderate Tories against the extreme wing of the Tory party, who have been supported by Farage."

Mr Otter, who lives on the edge of Wellington town centre, says he was not convinced the poll had done anything to engage people more in politics.

"The problem is, people aren't interested in the serious facets of the debate, they just want to talk about the things which are not really about politics at all."

He says the referendum might have been more effective if people had been given more choices on the ballot paper, about how they would like to see the EU reformed in years to come.

"We were basically asked 'do you support Cameron's view of the EU or don't you?' If there was a more leftist vision of the EU it might have been better."

Josie Hope, from Wellington, also believes that the Remain camp had tried to scare voters. "We've had Cameron saying our pensions will be affected if we leave the EU, he's just trying to frighten people and it's wrong," says the 71-year-old. "He shouldn't be doing this."

Andrew Brown, 67, says he has been very concerned about the tone of the debate.

"I think it's been appalling, it all seems to have been about immigration, about people coming from other countries," he says.

"Who knows, in the future it might be us who have to move to another part of the world because of flooding or whatever, nobody knows what might be around the corner.

"I think we have also heard very little about how it will affect ordinary working-class people. I don't think the real facts have been talked about."

By contrast, first-time voter Molly Archer, 18, from Shawbirch, feels the sparring between the leave and remain camps has been quite helpful. The teenager, who works at Sofia's coffee shop in Wellington, says: "It is good that they are giving people a choice, and I think the debate has helped me decide."

Yet for all the noise and fury over recent months, there are some people who the debate has completely passed by. Construction ground worker, Stuart McMichael, for example, said he had paid no interest in any of the discussions and chose not to vote.

"I can see why some people may want to leave, and why some may want to stay, but I don't think it's going to affect me in my job," said the 28-year-old.

Over at the Forces Support charity shop in Walker Street, volunteer Rhys Garbett, 22, says he thought it was good the referendum was taking place, but had no real view on the subject itself.

"I think I'm a bit of both, I haven't really paid that much attention. I think the debate has been good in that it gives people the choice to decide what they think is right, it gives people power over what happens."

Delivery driver Matt Buckley, from Kidderminster, says he has been too busy to pay any attention, adding: "I go to work, and then I go to football, I don't really have time to bother with any of that."