Eight years after the Brexit vote, which resulted in the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union (EU), latest nationwide YouGov poll indicates that over fifty percent of British citizens would support rejoining the EU if a new referendum were conducted.
The United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union, completed in 2020, has been characterized by many as detrimental and expensive for London. A report published in February and referencing economists at Goldman Sachs, indicated that this exit led to a decline in the UK’s real GDP by approximately 5% relative to its economic counterparts. This situation has resulted in an underperforming economy and a rising cost of living, attributed to diminished trade and insufficient business investment. The economists acknowledged though that certain challenges might also be associated with the impacts of the global Coronavirus pandemic.
A recent survey, conducted with more than 2,000 UK citizens at the end of last month and released yesterday, revealed that 59% of participants indicated they would support rejoining the European Union in a potential new referendum. Conversely, 41% expressed opposition to the idea of rejoining the bloc.
The poll has also indicated that a significant portion of British voters, specifically 55%, consider the United Kingdom’s choice to exit the European Union to be a mistake, whereas 34% support the decision.
More than 60% of the Brits surveyed expressed their willingness to endorse stronger ties with Brussels, provided that such relations do not entail formally rejoining the European Union, its single market, or customs union. In contrast, only 17% of respondents were against this idea, while an additional 20% remained uncertain.
It also appears that the topic of Britain’s relationship with the European Union has diminished in significance among voters though. The latest poll indicated that in 2019, 63% of voters identified Brexit as one of the primary issues confronting the nation. However, after the 2024 general election, merely 7% of respondents considered UK-EU relations to be a major national concern.
In the wake of the Labour Party’s decisive triumph in the recent general election, Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasized that the newly formed government would not pursue re-entry into the European Union, the single market, or the customs union. Furthermore, he asserted that there would be no efforts to foster closer ties with Brussels during his tenure. He even stated that a return of the UK to the EU is unlikely to occur within his lifetime.
