A megapoll conducted by the Messina Group has revealed substantial public backing for the United Kingdom rejoining the European Union, with 49% of respondents favoring membership compared to 28.5% opposed. The research surveyed 11,461 people weighted by referendum result between 12-24 September across seven different options for the country’s future EU relationship.
Labour leader Andy Burnham has indicated personal support for rejoining and announced a review of Britain’s European options, subsequently stating that full membership should be included in that examination. The polling data suggests that if the prime minister were to offer a fresh referendum on EU membership and campaign for re-entry, Labour’s vote share could increase by between 4.3 and 7.4 percentage points, with gains primarily coming from Green and Liberal Democrat voters. Additional polling scenarios tested various messaging approaches around closer EU ties, all showing electoral benefits for the party.
Despite the favorable polling, several cabinet ministers have expressed caution about the proposal. Two-thirds of cabinet members, including the prime minister himself, represent constituencies that voted for Brexit and have previously stated they would respect the 2016 referendum outcome. Some ministers have publicly warned that pursuing EU reintegration could reopen divisive arguments and potentially strengthen the Reform party. Concerns have been raised about the “constitutional questions” around the relationship, business uncertainty, and whether the terms of rejoining would be acceptable to the public.
The research examined public priorities beyond membership itself, finding that over two-thirds of voters consider EU trade more important than US or China commerce, four in five wish to retain the pound, and a majority support remaining in the European Convention on Human Rights. However, the polling also indicated that traditional Brexit concerns regarding immigration control and national sovereignty continue to resonate with the electorate. Senior Downing Street officials have been consulting with thinktanks and polling organizations as they evaluate public appetite for potential EU reintegration.
Article Attribution | Read More at Article Source
Article summary produced by Claude AI