Europe (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – A new poll shows British voters are more inclined toward EU membership than voters in France and Italy, highlighting shifting public attitudes.
According to a YouGov survey conducted in six European nations, 50% of British voters would support joining the EU if a referendum were held right now, compared to 45% and 46% in France and Italy. The percentages were greater in Spain (66%), Denmark (75%), and Germany (62%).
Also, it revealed that only 31% of British citizens stated they would bounce to leave the EU, a vastly lower chance than the 52 who supported Brexit nearly ten times agone. This chance was 30 in France, 28 in Italy, 20 in Germany, 14 in Denmark, and 13 in Spain.
Days after No. 10 declared he’d cleave to his EU” red lines,” the findings put pressure on Keir Starmer, indeed though Wes Streeting sounded to support a customs union with the bloc in an interview.
His health secretary stated that a “deeper trading relationship” with Europe would accelerate UK economic growth, which was perceived as a direct threat to Sir Keir.
The leader of the Labour Party has promised a “reset” of UK-EU relations, but he has rejected requests to re-enter the group or join its customs union or single market.
Labour ministers have started to highlight the financial consequences of Brexit in spite of Sir Keir’s position.
Baroness Shafik, Sir Keir’s main economic advisor, reportedly suggested re-joining the customs union in private last month.
Lib Dem Europe spokesperson Al Pinkerton said:
“The British people are tired of the economic self-harm imposed by the Conservatives’ broken Brexit deal. The government must stop burying their heads in the sand and listen to the clear majority of voters who are crying out for closer relations with our neighbours.”
The new data, according to Dr. Mike Galsworthy, chair of the pro-EU advocacy group European Movement UK, demonstrated “that the majority of the UK public now knows that Brexit has damaged the UK, and continues to make almost every one of us poorer, and that rebuilding the relationship that we smashed up with the EU doesn’t mean a ‘Brexit betrayal’ – it just means closer trading and better business, to immediately kick-start our struggling economy, and bring all of us some much-needed financial relief.”
He added:
“The question is, how many times will polling show our politicians that the public is sick of this failed Brexit experiment, and take real steps to grow our economy, rather than tinkering with trade deals that are the equivalent of losing £50 whilst finding 50p? The tide has turned, and our politicians need to catch up with public opinion.”
According to the survey, only French President Emmanuel Macron was more unpopular than Sir Keir among the six nations’ presidents.
Only 17% of Britons thought well of their leader. That percentage was 16% in France, 25% for Friedrich Merz in Germany, 35% for Georgia Meloni in Italy, 30% for Pedro Sánchez in Spain, and 34% for Mette Frederiksen in Denmark.
A request for comment has been made to the Cabinet Office.
How did support vary across UK regions?
A recent YouGov EuroTrack bean reveals that 54 of British choosers support replying the EU, advanced than in France( 53), Italy( 51), Germany( 63 stay no, bean shows UK at 54 for return in insulation), but the claim requires vindicating exact relative desire situations from the July 2025 check.
The check across UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Denmark showed majorities in international EU nations favoring UK reentry( 51- 63), but support drops sprucely if UK keeps conclude- outs like no euro or Schengen. UK support falls to 36 without conclude- outs, indicating nuanced enthusiasm rather than outright strongerpro-EU sentiment than French or Italian peers.
Conducted amid Keir Starmer’s EU reset efforts post-Brexit, the bean highlights a” public opinion impasse” with only 19- 22 in EU countries okaying UK’s old terms. No data shows Brits morepro-EU than French/ Italians on core class desire.
