British Prime Minister and "Vote Remain" campaigner David Cameron and former London Mayor, and "Vote Leave" campaigner, Boris Johnson. Picture: AFP

WHATEVER happens today, it will be significant even in terms of a country built from a tradition of populist protest, revolt, histrionics and outright suburban whinge.

This latest referendum has been three decades in the making, this is the third time the country has been at this point and each time it has been a close split on the way forward.

Today will be the same.

Whichever argument in the in-out EU referendum succeeds on the day, the nation remains evidently divided well beyond the fault-line fractures already raised by Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales and to a lesser degree the tribal regions of Cornwall and the Hebrides islands.

Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron delivers a speech at a Britain Stronger In Europe rally event campaigning for people to vote to remain in the EU. Picture: AFPSource:AFP

It’s kind of like the lost cause argument of rail link gauges between Queensland and NSW of decades gone by that thankfully today has been reduced to the State of Origin and whether the bigger national pests are cane toads or cockroaches.

The British split is more deep-seated, generational and in no way likely to be resolved by a referendum that indirectly evokes racism, xenophobia and a call to redefine nationalism and patriotism lets alone pits neighbour against neighbour, clan against clan.

The Union Jack and European Union flags fly outside City Hall in central London on the eve of the EU referendum. Picture: AFPSource:AFP

The referendum result will be close and that can only lead to further argument and division in the electorate and the government let alone relations with the broader European Union already distrusting of the UK and its at times belligerent approach to EU and global politics.

Just the act of holding a referendum has been regarded with disdain by Europe, an act of dismissive superiority that asks the people whether it wants to continue to be part of a club, albeit embattled, that other nations have invested decades into.

Whatever happens at the ballot box today, the EU will be forced to look at change but its distrust and antipathy toward Britain will strengthen and that can only further weaken the union facing some of its greatest challenges since the 1970s.