politics
Survey finds majority of Britons now view Brexit as a mistake
A YouGov poll released this month shows more than half of respondents say leaving the European Union was an error. The same survey found over half would support rejoining the bloc in some form.
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A decade after the United Kingdom's 2016 referendum to leave the European Union, a majority of Britons now say the decision was a mistake, according to a recent YouGov survey. The poll also found that more than half of respondents would like the U.K. to rejoin the EU in some form. Among those who voted to leave in 2016, two-thirds continue to support the decision.
Political and economic fallout The U.K. has had seven prime ministers since the referendum. Government data analyzed by the Office for Budgetary Responsibility show reduced productivity, imports and exports after departure from the bloc. An analysis of government data found the economy took a 6% hit as a result of Brexit.
The economic effects have been compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic and conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.
Public opinion shift In 2016, 51.9% of voters supported leaving the EU.
Since then, six million people who were eligible to vote in that referendum have died, and younger voters who tend to favor EU membership have reached voting age. A separate More in Common poll found three-fifths of Gen Z respondents would like another referendum on EU membership. Despite the shift in polling, few politicians have indicated support for reopening the issue.
