A leading pollster in the UK has stated that the majority of British voters consider Brexit a major disappointment and would opt to reverse it if given the chance in a new referendum. Sir John Curtice, an experienced pollster from the University of Oxford, expressed that the decision to exit the European Union has not proven to be successful over time. He noted that a significant number of voters now believe that being outside the EU is not beneficial, as recent data indicates growing support for rejoining the union.
According to Sir Anthony Seldon’s book ‘The Brexit Effect,’ Curtice highlighted that the 2016 referendum failed to settle the debate on Britain’s EU membership. He emphasized that a considerable portion of the population now wishes to be part of the EU. This sentiment is reinforced by recent research by YouGov, which shows a notable surge in support for rejoining the EU.
YouGov’s survey of 4,067 adults conducted in May revealed that 56 percent of respondents back the rejoin movement, with 36 percent strongly supporting it and 20 percent somewhat supporting it. The opposition to rejoining has decreased, with only 35 percent of people expressing opposition, divided into 10 percent strongly opposing and 25 percent somewhat opposing.
The discussion around rejoining the EU has resurfaced, with former health secretary Wes Streeting advocating for reentry. In contrast, other Labour leadership contenders like Andy Burnham have not shown support for revisiting the issue at this time. The current stance of Keir Starmer’s Government is against rejoining the EU, preferring a reset in relations, with plans for a summit in July to pursue this approach.