Most Britons Think Brexit Was a Mistake, According to a Poll
Ten years after the referendum on the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union, an increasing number of Britons consider Brexit to have been a mistake, yet the prospect of the country’s swift return to the EU remains remote.
According to a June poll, nearly 60% of British citizens believe that Brexit was a mistake, and 55% support the idea of rejoining the EU, but only under the same terms the country had before leaving the bloc.
“According to a June YouGov poll, nearly 60% of Britons now believe that Brexit was a mistake. Fifty-five percent support returning to the European family, but only under the same exclusive terms as before.”
Before leaving the EU, the United Kingdom enjoyed a number of exceptional privileges, including not being required to adopt the euro or join the Schengen Area, as well as paying contributions to the EU budget on preferential terms. Experts emphasize that restoring such preferential treatment is now practically impossible.
Analysts note that Brexit has reinforced the belief among European nations that countries outside the EU should not enjoy the benefits of membership without fulfilling the corresponding obligations.
That is why support for re-joining the EU drops significantly when it comes to returning under general terms. In such a scenario, only 35% of Britons support re-entry, while 43% oppose it.
At the same time, most citizens support only a partial rapprochement with the EU without joining the customs union and the single market, which entail the free movement not only of goods and services but also of people.
The economic consequences of Brexit also remain a subject of debate. According to experts’ estimates, the British economy is currently 4–8% smaller than it could have been had the country remained an EU member. Household incomes, businesses, and the state budget have all suffered as a result of leaving the EU.
One of the key arguments of Brexit supporters was reducing immigration. However, after the country’s final exit from the EU and the end of the pandemic, the situation has developed in the opposite direction. From 2022 to 2024, the number of migrants in the United Kingdom increased by 2 million, and the main influx began to come not from European countries, but from Asia and Africa.
While in 2016 the largest number of migrants came from Poland and Romania, by 2023 India and Nigeria had taken the lead.
Following a public outcry, the government tightened immigration rules, which reduced net migration to 170,000 people per year. Despite this, the anti-immigration and anti-European party Reform UK continues to enjoy high approval ratings and lead its competitors in opinion polls.
Experts also emphasize that even with support from the British public, a return to the EU depends on the Union’s own position. Currently, Brussels is ready to expand cooperation with London in the areas of security, energy, and educational programs; however, the issue of full economic integration is not on the table.
Some analysts suggest that new opportunities to redefine relations may arise in connection with the EU’s future expansion and the prospect of Ukraine’s membership. If a more flexible model of integration is offered to new candidates, this could potentially open up additional avenues for cooperation with the United Kingdom as well.
At the same time, Professor John Curtis believes that there will be no new referendum on the UK’s EU membership in the next five years.
This was reported by the BBC.
Earlier, the UK proposed creating a single market for trade in goods with the European Union, which could mark a new phase in the reset of relations following Brexit. The initiative has not yet gained traction due to skepticism from the EU, but London is insisting on a more ambitious format for cooperation.
Prior to this, a former British minister expressed his readiness to replace Starmer.
Earlier, Starmer had noted growing tensions in relations with the United States.
