Key facts
- Nearly half of voters support rejoining the EU, according to a poll by The Messina Group.
- The poll found that renegotiating EU ties could increase Labour's vote share by up to 7.4 percentage points.
- Almost a third of voters believe an in-out referendum would be necessary before rejoining.
- Two-thirds of Labour cabinet ministers represent constituencies that voted for Brexit.
- 52.4% of voters believe the UK was wrong to leave the EU, while 12.2% consider it a success.
Andy Burnham, the leader of the Labour Party, has proposed a review of options for Britain's future relationship with the European Union, including the possibility of rejoining the bloc. This stance is supported by almost half of all voters, according to a new poll by The Messina Group (TMG). The research suggests that renegotiating the UK's relationship with the EU could potentially boost Labour's vote share by as much as seven points, particularly if a fresh referendum were offered with a campaign to re-enter.
The TMG poll, which surveyed 11,461 people between September 12-24, found that 49% favored rejoining the EU, with 28.5% against. Other options for closer ties, such as cutting trade barriers, a customs union, or single market membership, also garnered significant support, ranging from 42% to 48.2%. Conversely, only 27.9% supported moving further away from the EU.
Despite the public's apparent openness to closer EU ties, some within the Labour party, including cabinet ministers representing Leave-voting constituencies, are urging caution. They fear that reopening the Brexit debate could reignite political divisions and potentially benefit Reform UK. Ministers like Lucy Powell, Jonathan Reynolds, and Shabana Mahmood have publicly expressed reservations about the feasibility and desirability of rejoining.
However, the poll data indicates a shift in public opinion since the 2016 referendum, with 52.4% of voters now believing the UK was wrong to leave the EU, and only 12.2% considering it a success. This sentiment could provide a political opportunity for Labour, with some analysts suggesting that a bolder stance on Europe could unite the left and attract swing voters.