Sunday, December 31, 2023
Failing Brexit
Opinion polls are ephemeral, unreliable creatures. On one day they are telling us that the British public are opposed to sin, on another they are showing overwhelming support for the devil and all his works. I exaggerate, of course, but you get the idea.
The latest is one of a long line of polls that shows the growing disillusionment amongst voters about the efficacy of Brexit. Of course, we know that this in no way guarantees a victory for rejoin in a fresh plebiscite, but it does at least provide some room for manoeuvre for over-cautious politicians.
The Guardian tells us that a poll by Opinium to mark the third anniversary of the UK leaving the EU single market and customs union has found that a clear majority of the British public now believes Brexit has been bad for the UK economy, has driven up prices in shops, and has hampered government attempts to control immigration.
They add that the survey of more than 2,000 UK voters also finds strikingly low numbers of people who believe that Brexit has benefited them or the country:
Just one in 10 believe leaving the EU has helped their personal financial situation, against 35% who say it has been bad for their finances, while just 9% say it has been good for the NHS, against 47% who say it has had a negative effect.
Ominously for prime minister Rishi Sunak, who backed Brexit and claimed it would be economically beneficial, only 7% of people think it has helped keep down prices in UK shops, against 63% who think Brexit has been a factor in fuelling inflation and the cost of living crisis.
The poll suggests that seven and a half years on from the referendum the British public now regards Brexit as a failure. Just 22% of voters believe it has been good for the UK in general.
The Vote Leave campaign led by Boris Johnson and Michael Gove had promised that Brexit would boost the economy and trade, as well as bring back £350m a week into the NHS and allow the government to take back control of the UK’s borders.
James Crouch, head of policy and public affairs at Opinium, said the perception of Brexit being handled badly and having had negative effects on various aspect of UK life appeared to be spreading: “Public discontent at how Brexit has been handled by the government continues, with perceived failings even in areas previously seen as a potential benefit from leaving the EU.
“More than half (53%) of leave voters now think that Brexit has been bad for the UK’s ability to control immigration, piling even more pressure on an issue the government is vulnerable on. Despite this, Brexit is likely to be a secondary issue at the next election compared to the state of the economy and the NHS, which are the clear priority for voters.”
Perhaps the likes of Ed Davey could now use this opportunity to promote the pro-European policies of the party he purports to lead.
The latest is one of a long line of polls that shows the growing disillusionment amongst voters about the efficacy of Brexit. Of course, we know that this in no way guarantees a victory for rejoin in a fresh plebiscite, but it does at least provide some room for manoeuvre for over-cautious politicians.
The Guardian tells us that a poll by Opinium to mark the third anniversary of the UK leaving the EU single market and customs union has found that a clear majority of the British public now believes Brexit has been bad for the UK economy, has driven up prices in shops, and has hampered government attempts to control immigration.
They add that the survey of more than 2,000 UK voters also finds strikingly low numbers of people who believe that Brexit has benefited them or the country:
Just one in 10 believe leaving the EU has helped their personal financial situation, against 35% who say it has been bad for their finances, while just 9% say it has been good for the NHS, against 47% who say it has had a negative effect.
Ominously for prime minister Rishi Sunak, who backed Brexit and claimed it would be economically beneficial, only 7% of people think it has helped keep down prices in UK shops, against 63% who think Brexit has been a factor in fuelling inflation and the cost of living crisis.
The poll suggests that seven and a half years on from the referendum the British public now regards Brexit as a failure. Just 22% of voters believe it has been good for the UK in general.
The Vote Leave campaign led by Boris Johnson and Michael Gove had promised that Brexit would boost the economy and trade, as well as bring back £350m a week into the NHS and allow the government to take back control of the UK’s borders.
James Crouch, head of policy and public affairs at Opinium, said the perception of Brexit being handled badly and having had negative effects on various aspect of UK life appeared to be spreading: “Public discontent at how Brexit has been handled by the government continues, with perceived failings even in areas previously seen as a potential benefit from leaving the EU.
“More than half (53%) of leave voters now think that Brexit has been bad for the UK’s ability to control immigration, piling even more pressure on an issue the government is vulnerable on. Despite this, Brexit is likely to be a secondary issue at the next election compared to the state of the economy and the NHS, which are the clear priority for voters.”
Perhaps the likes of Ed Davey could now use this opportunity to promote the pro-European policies of the party he purports to lead.
