New polling shows that a large majority of voters believe Brexit has exacerbated the huge rise in prices in the UK over the past few years.
Asked to what extent they thought Brexit had contributed to the cost-of -living crisis, 79% thought it had made a contribution. 28% thought it had made a significant contribution – while just 12% said it had made no contribution.
The cost-of-living survey questioned 1198 respondents for the WeThink poll.
Results by age
The results come at a time when public polling regularly shows that more than 60% of UK voters would now vote to join the EU if a new referendum was held. Research by European Movement UK, published in The Independent, shows most of the UK want Brexit to be discussed in the run up to the election.
UK economy
Earlier this year London Mayor Sadiq Khan said Britain’s departure from the European Union had reduced the size of its economy by 6% so far – an annual cost of £140 billion. The shortfall was expected to reach 10% by 2035.
Analysis by American bank Goldman Sachs published in February 2024 found that Brexit is directly responsible for the UK economy growing 5% less since the vote in 2016. Bank of England policymaker Jonathan Haskel as said that’s around £1,000 per household.
Political parties
Political parties have mostly avoided mentioning Brexit during the run-up to the General Election, with no mention of the promised Brexit benefits that were touted at the 2019 election. However, this week the Liberal Democrats said they would aim to rejoin the single market. The Green Party’s policy is to rejoin the EU when the political situation is right to do so.
What does the European Movement say?
Dr Mike Galsworthy, Chair of European Movement UK, said:
“With a new government, we have the chance to begin to reverse the damage that Brexit has done to our country and to treat the issue of our place in Europe as a normal political matter. The fact is, most people want political discussions on the effects of Brexit.”
Sir Nick Harvey, former CEO of the Liberal Democrats, former Defence Minister and MP, and CEO of European Movement UK, said:
“The European Movement will be clear throughout this General Election that political candidates of all parties must acknowledge the elephant in the room – that Brexit isn’t working, and that public opinion is shifting.”
So far, the silence on the problems caused by Brexit has been deafening, on the economy, opportunities for young people, its contributions to the cost-of-living crisis and more. But the evidence shows that voters want Britain’s future relationship with the EU back in the debate in the run up to the election on 4 July.
This article is based on a media release from European Movement
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