Almost four years after Brexit, 57 percent of Brits would support the proposal and 22 percent would be against it, said the YouGov Institute, which surveyed 2,138 adults between Friday and Sunday. 52% of respondents also believe that leaving the EU was not the right decision.
Joining the European single market would restore the free movement of goods, services and people between the United Kingdom, the European Union and other non-EU countries such as Norway.
A symbolic U-turn to say the least, considering that Brexit was largely based on the promise of “regaining” control of Britain’s borders.
Increase in illegal entries since 2020
Since 2020, legal and illegal arrivals in the area – particularly via migrant boats crossing the English Channel – have surged, putting pressure on British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak just months before a general election scheduled for late 2024.
The end of free movement and stricter immigration regulations have led to labor shortages in some sectors, and British companies are also complaining about increased bureaucratic burdens when exporting to the EU.
Logically, Brits who voted against Brexit are most inclined to return to the single market (83% of respondents), while only 35% of those who voted to leave the EU in 2016 would support this proposal, YouGov explained in his study.
Labor Party leader Keir Starmer, faced with the winner of the next general election, assured that if he wins, he will not seek to join the 27, the single market or the customs union, despite his opposition to Brexit.
But for Fintan Smith, head of policy research at YouGov, Labor could be taking a bolder stance on the issue, with 72% of Brits surveyed – whether pro-Brexit or not – supporting closer trading ties with the EU.