07 March 2020

The Independent: UK still divided over Brexit with almost half country wanting to rejoin EU, poll finds

Boris Johnson’s pleas for the UK to unite following Brexit have fallen on deaf ears, with the country still deeply split over the decision to leave the European Union, a new poll has suggested.

Some 46 per cent of those polled by BMG for The Independent said they would like to rejoin the EU, against 54 per cent who believe the UK should stay out.

And there was a deep generational divide, with 63 per cent of 18-24 year-olds, 60 per cent of 25-34 year-olds and 51 per cent of 35-44 year-olds wanting a return to Europe, while 69 per cent of over-65s want to stay out.

While the poll suggests some Remainers have become reconciled to Brexit, there was little sign that the UK’s departure from the EU on 31 January had persuaded the majority to accept leaving.

The 46-54 split in favour of staying out indicated a small swing in favour of Brexit since January, when a poll taken a fortnight before departure day found 52 per cent wanting to Remain and 48 to Leave.

But just 18 per cent of those who voted Remain in the 2016 referendum now said they wanted to stay outside the EU, compared to 82 per cent who want to return.

Large majorities of Labour voters (73 per cent), Liberal Democrats (85 per cent) and SNP supporters (86 per cent) wanted to be inside the EU, while 87 per cent of Conservatives wanted to stay out. [...]

Full article on The Independent

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