New Poll Suggests Majority of Britons Favor Rejoining EU a Decade After Brexit Vote

A decade after the United Kingdom's "Brexit" vote to withdraw from the European Union, a new poll suggests a reversal of public sentiment regarding the nation's membership.

An Ipsos survey, conducted between May 14 and May 20 among 1,137 British adults, found that 52% of Britons believe the UK should rejoin the EU. This figure stands in contrast to the June 2016 referendum, where a similar proportion of the electorate voted to leave.

Demographic analysis of the poll results indicates that younger voters predominantly favor reversing Brexit, while half of those aged 55 and above oppose returning to the bloc. The Independent reports that the percentage of people who believe Brexit is performing worse than anticipated has nearly doubled in five years, rising from 27% in 2021 to 48% currently.

Support for a second referendum has also grown, with 48% now indicating they would support one, compared to 27% who would oppose it. Notably, the study found that a fifth of Reform UK voters and a quarter of those who voted Leave in 2016 would also back a new vote.

Discussions with the European Studies chair at Tufts University's international relations graduate school highlighted potential financial impacts. British GDP is estimated to have been reduced by 6-8%, business investment by 12%, and trade volume by 15%, compared to what they could have been if the UK had remained in the EU. The chair expressed hope that if the UK were to reconsider its choice, citizens would be more informed in their decision-making.

(Source: Slashdot)