Britons want closer ties with the EU, even supporters of Farage’s party

Seven out of ten citizens of the United Kingdom want their government to build closer relations with the European Union, according to a new survey by Brussels-based Politico published today.

Even among voters who support Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party, which advocated for Brexit, the majority believe that current relations with Brussels are too distant, according to the results of a poll published at a sensitive time for the ruling Labour Party and Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who is facing demands from some party colleagues to reverse Brexit and for Britain to rejoin the EU.

When asked what they think about the country moving closer to the European Union and accepting its rules, about 31 percent of respondents said that the United Kingdom should build “closer” relations with Brussels, but only on the condition that this does not involve complying with EU regulations.

on the other hand, 39 percent of respondents want “much closer” cooperation, even if it would require the United Kingdom to once again adhere to certain EU rules.

The head of public opinion research at the company Public First, which conducted the survey for Politico, Seb Wride, stated that the public often turns to Europe in search of alliances, especially because the US is increasingly seen as an unreliable partner at best, and at worst as a rival.

“However, for the government, it is not simple. ‘Moving closer to Europe’ is not the same as ‘reversing Brexit’, so Burnham will have to balance very carefully to satisfy pro-European factions within his ranks, without reopening old wounds,” Wride said.

The survey also confirms how the Brexit debate has divided the country into two blocs — those who are “for” and those who are “against”.

Among supporters of left-wing parties, there are far more who support closer ties with the EU than among those who vote for right-wing parties.

Green Party voters are the most interested in closer cooperation with Brussels, with 64 percent supporting it, even if it would involve implementing more Union rules.

There is less interest in moving closer to the EU among older voters, according to the survey conducted in mid-September, which polled more than 2,000 people.

Among supporters of the Reform UK party, 51 percent expressed support for closer ties, which is twice as many as those who want greater distance from the EU (25 percent).

This represents a potential challenge for the leader of the Eurosceptic party, Farage, Politico notes.

These survey results, the portal adds, could also serve as an argument for Labour Party politicians who want Burnham to be more ambitious in his plans to improve relations between the United Kingdom and the EU, which could potentially include a return to the Union’s customs union, the single market, or even full membership again.

Several ministers and other politicians from the Labour ranks have expressed their views on what kind of closer relations Burnham should discuss with Brussels.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has called on the Prime Minister to immediately initiate a discussion on rejoining the EU, stating that Brexit was a “disaster” and “the greatest economic harm any country has ever inflicted on itself”.

“At some point, sooner or later, we will have a conversation about rejoining the EU. Why wait?” Khan said.