As Britain gears up for its first national election since formally leaving the European Union in 2020, a new report reveals that public support for Brexit is at its lowest level since the 2016 referendum.
According to the British Social Attitudes survey, only 24% of Britons now believe the country should remain outside the EU. This marks a significant decline from 36% in 2019 and 41% in 2016, the year of the Brexit vote.
The survey, conducted by the National Centre for Social Research and co-authored by polling expert John Curtice, found that the perceived impact of Brexit on key issues like the economy and immigration has worsened since the last election in 2019.
For many who voted ‘Leave’ in 2016, Brexit outcomes have not met expectations. About 40% of Leave voters now believe the economy has suffered due to Brexit, compared to 18% in 2019. Additionally, nearly two-thirds of Leave voters feel immigration has increased post-Brexit, up from just 5% in 2019.
“In short, it appears that for many of those who voted to leave the EU, Brexit has not turned out as they anticipated,” the report stated.
The survey, which polled 5,578 people between September 12 and October 31 of last year, also highlighted a dramatic decline in public trust and confidence in the government. A record 45% of respondents said they ‘almost never’ trust British governments to prioritize the nation’s needs over their political interests.
Despite Brexit’s diminishing support, the issue has played a minimal role in the current election campaign, which is set for July 4. This is a notable shift in a country where EU membership has historically been a contentious topic.
