Full Breakdown
Growing Support for a Second Brexit Referendum and Potential EU Re-accession
6/12/2026, 9:44:54 PM
Public Backing for a Second Referendum Increases
A new poll conducted in May 2024 shows that 48 % of British adults now support holding a second referendum on the United Kingdom’s membership of the European Union, while 27 % would oppose it. The same survey indicates that 60 % of respondents favour deeper defence cooperation with the EU, and 53 % would back a return to freedom of movement if it secured access to the single market. Conversely, 52 % prefer total border control and a more limited relationship, underscoring a split between economic integration and sovereignty concerns.
Context: A Decade After the 2016 Vote
The United Kingdom voted to leave the EU in a 2016 referendum that was supported by two-thirds of the electorate at the time. Since then, successive governments have negotiated the terms of exit, while public opinion has gradually shifted. The latest poll reflects a notable rise in the proportion of people who view Brexit as “worse than predicted,” from 27 % in 2021 to 48 % today.
Survey Design and Sample
The study, commissioned by Ipsos, King’s College London and the think-tank UK in a Changing Europe, surveyed 2,245 adults across Great Britain between 15 and 20 May 2024. The methodology combined online and telephone interviews to achieve a nationally representative sample.
Figures Shaping the Current Debate
- Wes Streeting, former health secretary and prospective Labour leadership challenger, has called Brexit “a catastrophic mistake” and advocated re-joining the EU.
- Professor Anand Menon, director of UK in a Changing Europe, highlighted the absence of a simple solution to the UK-EU relationship.
- Professor Bobby Duffy, King’s College London, warned that public opinion is moving “glacially slowly.”
- Sandro Gozi, chair of the European delegation to the EU-UK Parliamentary Assembly, described a UK request to re-join as a “major victory for the European project.”
- Keiran Pedley, Ipsos research director, noted openness to greater alignment but persistent sovereignty concerns, especially on immigration.
Institutional Reactions
Think-tank analysts emphasized that each possible future relationship entails clear trade-offs, urging policymakers to weigh economic benefits against political costs. The European Union, through its parliamentary assembly delegation, signalled willingness to fast-track a potential UK re-accession, citing the United Kingdom’s existing regulatory alignment as a factor that could accelerate the process compared with other candidate states.
Dissenting Perspectives
Critics argue that despite rising support for a second referendum, the electorate has not yet coalesced around a decisive demand for change. Professor Duffy’s assessment that “at this rate, it’ll be many more years before we get to a clear-cut demand for change” reflects concerns about the durability of the shift in public sentiment.
Verbatim Quotes
- “On face value there is openness to greater alignment and rule-taking to facilitate a stronger trading relationship but arguments about sovereignty – especially when it comes to immigration – remain persuasive.” — Keiran Pedley, Ipsos Research Director
- “We ?need a new special relationship with the EU, because Britain’s future lies with Europe, and one day – one day – back in the European Union,” — Wes Streeting, Former Health Secretary
- “Sandro Gozi, chair of the European delegation to the EU-UK Parliamentary Assembly, said that the European Union would see a request to rejoin from the UK as a “major victory for the European project”, insisting that there would be a way to fast-track it.” — Sandro Gozi, Chair, EU-UK Parliamentary Assembly Delegation
- “no easy option when it comes to the EU relationship” with each possibility presenting “clear trade-offs.” — Professor Anand Menon, Director, UK in a Changing Europe
- “At this rate, it’ll be many more years before we get to a clear-cut demand for change.” — Professor Bobby Duffy, King’s College London
Implications for UK-EU Relations
The poll’s findings could pressure the Labour Party to adopt a more pro-EU stance, especially if a leadership contest amplifies Streeting’s position. A fast-track re-accession pathway, as suggested by EU officials, would reshape negotiations on trade, security and regulatory alignment.
Outlook
The next few months may see intensified debate within the Labour Party, further polling on EU membership, and formal discussions with EU institutions regarding the procedural steps for a potential re-entry request.
