Support for the United Kingdom rejoining the European Union has risen to a majority of voters, according to new polling released nearly ten years after the country voted to leave the bloc.

Get today's headlines by email

The research suggests that while many voters still back the government’s current approach to managing relations with the EU, enthusiasm for that strategy is limited. Analysts warn that the governing Labour Party could face political risks if it maintains a cautious stance on the issue.

Majority Back EU Membership

The survey found that 53% of voters support the UK rejoining the EU, with particularly strong backing among supporters of centre-left parties.

Among Labour voters, support for returning to the EU reached 83%, while 84% of Liberal Democrat voters and 82% of Green Party voters expressed the same view.

Backing for the policy was lower among right-leaning voters. The research indicated that 39% of Conservative supporters and 18% of Reform voters favoured rejoining the bloc.

The findings come from research conducted by Best for Britain, a civil society group that campaigns for closer ties between the UK and Europe.

Despite the growing support for EU membership, the government’s current approach to relations with Brussels still received approval from 61% of voters overall. However, only 19% said they supported the policy strongly.

Questions Over Labour’s Strategy

Researchers and political analysts say Labour’s cautious messaging on Brexit could create electoral pressures.

Tom Brufatto, director of policy and research at Best for Britain, said policies that fall between full integration and clear separation could struggle to satisfy voters.

The research examined six possible approaches to the UK’s relationship with the EU. These included continuing Labour’s current strategy, maintaining the Brexit deal negotiated by former prime minister Boris Johnson, diverging further from EU rules, joining the customs union and single market, or fully rejoining the EU.

Brufatto said returning to the customs union and single market would present major political challenges because it would reopen debates over sovereignty and regulatory control.

Such arrangements would require the UK to adopt large areas of EU regulation, he said, potentially making it difficult for any party to sustain public support during lengthy negotiations.

Concerns About ‘Rule-Taking’

Under Labour’s existing policy, the UK would align with certain EU standards without rejoining the single market, a position critics say leaves Britain adopting regulations it has little influence over.

The government has already pursued agreements aimed at easing trade barriers, including a sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) deal designed to simplify procedures for agricultural exports.

However, negotiations over that agreement highlight the regulatory complexity involved. Since leaving the EU in 2020, the UK has diverged from 76 EU rules connected to the SPS framework.

At a Westminster event presenting the research, polling expert John Curtice questioned Labour’s low-profile approach to Brexit. He suggested that the party risked losing more support among pro-European voters than it might lose to pro-Brexit parties.

Curtice said Labour had lost roughly one in ten voters to Reform but around one in four to the Liberal Democrats and Greens.

Long-Term Debate Over Brexit

Former Labour leader Neil Kinnock said he believed the UK would eventually seek to return to the EU, although he did not suggest when that might happen.

He argued that Brexit had caused significant harm to the country and predicted that public opinion could shift further over time.

Anand Menon, director of the research organisation UK in a Changing Europe, said Labour’s position reflects a tension between acknowledging the economic costs of Brexit and proposing only limited policy changes.

He noted that estimates cited by the government suggest Brexit has reduced the size of the UK economy by around 8% of GDP, while the planned reset in relations with the EU is expected to generate growth of about 1%.

Menon added that the strategy of aligning with EU rules sector by sector could require continuous monitoring to prevent regulatory divergence, creating an ongoing administrative burden for policymakers.

Join the discussion?

Already a member?

Adapted by ASEAN Now. Source 18 April 2026

View full article

I’m not a UK citizen, so my opinion doesn’t carry any weight in the actual debate. I was disappointed when BREXIT occurred. So, it is pleasing for me to see the poll showing a slim majority now flavouring rejoining the EU.

It is important to note though, that the margin is small, and also there’s clearly strong resistance from the right‑wing that hasn’t really changed over the years.

So, even if there is a shiff of opinion, the resistance of the right looks pretty substantial. As much as I’d like to see the UK back in the EU, it seems that the level of opposition would make any real progress very difficult indeed.

4 hours ago, webfact said:

The survey found that 53% of voters support the UK rejoining the EU,

Thats too close to call, there needs to be another poll

Brexit, an economic suicide note written by a nation.

The hostile behaviour of the US ' President' towards every country apart from Israel and Russia, clearly shows the UK its future belongs in Europe, as geographically it always plainly did.

The current Labour Government is delivering on its manifesto pledge to forge closer ties to the EU without joining the EU.

It will be a matter for future elections to decide if the UK should rejoin the EU.

Time is on the side of rejoining as the ‘BREXIT’ core vote dies off.

The Poll is pointless as it stands I haven't seen any movement by the EU that suggests they want the UK back and if they do the terms will be more harsher than the previous entry terms

Most people I know accept Brexit would have never happened if the UK currency was the Euro at the time of the vote

So its highly likely that the EU will set a time limit such as 5 years on when the UK has to join the Euro as any part of rejoining

Absolutely. It is past time Briton got rid of the pound and got back into the EU like Obama wanted.

3 hours ago, bannork said:

Brexit, an economic suicide note written by a nation.

The hostile behaviour of the US ' President' towards every country apart from Israel and Russia, clearly shows the UK its future belongs in Europe, as geographically it always plainly did.

What a load of doo.

3 minutes ago, nauseus said:

What a load of doo.

Come on, show how Brexit has benefitted the UK financially.

The EU is now doomed, and declining.

Why would anyone wish to join a sinking ship?

Norway is nice, though.

2 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

The EU is now doomed, and declining.

Why would anyone wish to join a sinking ship?

Norway is nice, though.

They just need more hard-working immigrants to get it back afloat!!!

4 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

The EU is now doomed, and declining.

Why would anyone wish to join a sinking ship?

Wow, first time I've heard that prediction! Do you think it will happen this year, or next?😂

31 minutes ago, bannork said:

Come on, show how Brexit has benefitted the UK financially.

Brexit was never fully implemented. Those in power didn't want to leave, so they did their best to scupper the deal!

The EU project is a basket case itself. It is doomed!

1 minute ago, BLMFem said:

Wow, first time I've heard that prediction! Do you think it will happen this year, or next?😂

It is more of a continuous and ongoing process.

Every succeeding year is worse than the last.

However, probably within 5 years, we will see a complete dissolution of the EU, as a block of countries.

Therefore, no point in joining a group which will cease to be a group, within a half decade.

2 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

It is more of a continuous and ongoing process.

Every succeeding year is worse than the last.

However, probably within 5 years, we will see a complete dissolution of the EU, as a block of countries.

Therefore, no point in joining a group which will cease to be a group, within a half decade.

The EU is stronger than ever, and if fact they are getting ready to kick the US out of NATO!!!

46 minutes ago, nauseus said:

What a load of doo.

Of course, they belong to Europe There are seven continents in the world: Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia. I am missing Britain.

17 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

The EU is stronger than ever, and if fact they are getting ready to kick the US out of NATO!!!

The EU has nothing to do with NATO.

PS. You're welcome. I take great pleasure in my role as educator, although I sometimes wish I hadn't gotten the "special" students.😂

27 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

They just need more hard-working immigrants to get it back afloat!!!

Strange comment considering the immigration issues the UK has atm.

If Von Der Leyen asks me, I'll support a re-entry though. How are we going to call it, Brin?

25 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

It is more of a continuous and ongoing process.

Every succeeding year is worse than the last.

However, probably within 5 years, we will see a complete dissolution of the EU, as a block of countries.

Therefore, no point in joining a group which will cease to be a group, within a half decade.

"Every succeeding year is worse than the last."

Really? We've been hearing this for decades already, so what is actually left now??🤣

And another thing: If things are so grim, why are countries still lining up to join, do you think? Surely it's like buying a ticket for a passage with the Titanic after it struck the iceberg, won't you say?

25 minutes ago, glennamy said:

Brexit was never fully implemented. Those in power didn't want to leave, so they did their best to scupper the deal!

The EU project is a basket case itself. It is doomed!

27 minutes ago, glennamy said:

Brexit was never fully implemented. Those in power didn't want to leave, so they did their best to scupper the deal!

The EU project is a basket case itself. It is doomed!

Yawn, yawn. Brexiteers were saying the EU was doomed 10 years ago and yet there are countries still queuing up to join.

Trump and Putin don't like it because as the largest trading bloc in the world it has clout.

Carney was right a couple of months ago, medium size countries have to form partnerships to counter the superpowers, US and China.

Welcome to the EU.

37 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

They just need more hard-working immigrants to get it back afloat!!!

You're right, just like they've found out in the US!

1 hour ago, Yellowtail said:

The EU is stronger than ever, and if fact they are getting ready to kick the US out of NATO!!!

That is not only a very good idea, but also...

It will be the undoing of the EU, as well.

49 minutes ago, bannork said:

Come on, show how Brexit has benefitted the UK financially.

Due to the weak Cameron, wobbly May and her successors, plus blobby miscreants like Robbins, Brexit was negotiated badly and never executed properly. The more recent so-called governments that the UK has been "blessed" with have continued poorly and now we have the worst "PM" of all. This all means that the benefits that might have been realized were largely smothered and never became visible. Now Starmer is trying to get the UK back into the EU, using Henry VIII laws, or some such (whatever they are) and it seems that that route would not even allow for another referendum - so it sounds like another back-door job a la Chagos?

However, a look at the EU now shows decay evident within itself and the rot is growing. EU economies are down and most of them seem to be screwed by poor policies on welfare, energy, immigration and business regulation. Pockets of poverty are forming more now, even in Germany. It's basically a socialist pseudo-state and the only real beneficiaries are the pigs at the top trough, as ever.

There's no point in the UK rejoining the EU. It would cost far too much and if the Pound goes, everything goes. The country looks to be in enough trouble as it is. Strong, commonsense leadership is needed right now.

7 minutes ago, nauseus said:

Due to the weak Cameron, wobbly May and her successors, plus blobby miscreants like Robbins, Brexit was negotiated badly and never executed properly. The more recent so-called governments that the UK has been "blessed" with have continued poorly and now we have the worst "PM" of all. This all means that the benefits that might have been realized were largely smothered and never became visible. Now Starmer is trying to get the UK back into the EU, using Henry VIII laws, or some such (whatever they are) and it seems that that route would not even allow for another referendum - so it sounds like another back-door job a la Chagos?

However, a look at the EU now shows decay evident within itself and the rot is growing. EU economies are down and most of them seem to be screwed by poor policies on welfare, energy, immigration and business regulation. Pockets of poverty are forming more now, even in Germany. It's basically a socialist pseudo-state and the only real beneficiaries are the pigs at the top trough, as ever.

There's no point in the UK rejoining the EU. It would cost far too much and if the Pound goes, everything goes. The country looks to be in enough trouble as it is. Strong, commonsense leadership is needed right now.

"Due to the weak Cameron, wobbly May and her successors, plus blobby miscreants like Robbins, Brexit was negotiated badly and never executed properly."

This is probably the lamest excuse for the complete and utter disaster that is Brexit ever invented. It's also seemingly the only excuse you're able to invent.

Brexit was the 2nd biggest self-own in the history of nation states, only beaten by electing Trump twice. It was giving the finger to hundreds of millions of people right on your doorstep. It was RETARDED!

But, you're slowly creeping back in, and given the circumstances (Ukraine, Trump, Iran), the French and others won't make it too painful of a process even if they have every right to bend you over a barrel and have a proper go.

3 minutes ago, BLMFem said:

"Due to the weak Cameron, wobbly May and her successors, plus blobby miscreants like Robbins, Brexit was negotiated badly and never executed properly."

This is probably the lamest excuse for the complete and utter disaster that is Brexit ever invented. It's also seemingly the only excuse you're able to invent.

Brexit was the 2nd biggest self-own in the history of nation states, only beaten by electing Trump twice. It was giving the finger to hundreds of millions of people right on your doorstep. It was RETARDED!

But, you're slowly creeping back in, and given the circumstances (Ukraine, Trump, Iran), the French and others won't make it too painful of a process even if they have every right to bend you over a barrel and have a proper go.

Not an excuse. An explanation. The disaster was joining in the first place and the bending barrel was in place for the UK even then.

As you seem to be primarily obsessed with Trump, I have to assume you are not even British. So I would guess that your own bad-mouthed attack was born from a mixture of faux outrage and gross ignorance.

4 hours ago, Yellowtail said:

Absolutely. It is past time Briton got rid of the pound and got back into the EU like Obama want

Correct. If only Tony Blair had been stronger and we'd joined the single currency when we had the chance. I blame Gordon Brown.

1 hour ago, Yellowtail said:

The EU is stronger than ever, and if fact they are getting ready to kick the US out of NATO!!!

I can't believe I missed this one.

What a beauty!

4 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Correct. If only Tony Blair had been stronger and we'd joined the single currency when we had the chance. I blame Gordon Brown.

At least old Golden Brown did something right.

16 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Correct. If only Tony Blair had been stronger and we'd joined the single currency when we had the chance. I blame Gordon Brown.

Thank God/Brown that the UK did NOT join it!

25 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Correct. If only Tony Blair had been stronger and we'd joined the single currency when we had the chance. I blame Gordon Brown.

Mainly done to placate the meatheads who still hark back to the empire. And look where it got us.