IT IS 12 months to the day since voters in Bolton and across Britain chose to leave the European Union.

June 23, 2016 will go down as one of the most important days in modern political history, shaping the direction the country takes for decades to come.

The final result saw 58 per cent of Bolton voters opt for Brexit, an announcement that was greeted by huge cheers from Leave campaigners at the Bolton Arena.

Chris Green, MP for Bolton West, has long been a passionate advocate of Brexit but admits that even he was startled by the result of the landmark referendum.

Mr Green said: “I remember that, after a long day on the campaign trail, it was really exciting to be at the Bolton count to see the early results coming through.

“That was the first time that it felt like it might really happen. I had kind of expected us to vote leave, but that may have been more in hope than anything else.

“I knew throughout the campaign that the entire weight of the establishment was campaigning to remain, so I thought it couldn’t happen. But as the night progressed I was more and more hopeful.

“At the national count in Manchester, it was absolutely startling when it was confirmed that the British people had voted to leave the EU.”

Prime Minister Theresa May formally triggered the leaving process in March and negotiations with the EU have now begun — but only after a disastrous showing for the Tory government at the General Election.

Mr Green, however, believes that the country is still in favour of exiting Europe.

He added: “I was very pleased to see Brexit negotiations being such a key part of the Queen’s Speech this week.

“This is the most important issue our country has faced since the Second World War and I think that, by and large, the British people are increasingly supportive of ensuring that we have a good Brexit and that we do leave the EU.

“I think if the opposition tried to undermine or thwart Brexit over the next couple of years then that would be seen as a betrayal.”

Not everyone is convinced that the country has no regrets about its decision.

Yasmin Qureshi, MP for Bolton South East, campaigned for Remain and says that voters were misled about the reality of Brexit.

She said: “I think, judging from some of the people I have spoken to, that many of them feel that they made the wrong decision in voting to leave and that it was based on misinformation.

“Some people thought that as soon as we come out of Europe there will be an extra £250 million a week for the NHS and that immigration will stop immediately.

“Those were the facts presented to them and in reality it was never going to be like that. But I don’t think there is any turning back now. The Labour Party voted to support the triggering of Article 50 and the most important thing now is to get the best Brexit deal for the British people.”

A poll by think tank Policy North showed this week that 64 per cent of people in the North West are just as confident or more confident about Brexit as they were a year ago.