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Two-Thirds Blame Brexit for Slower Economy, Reform UK Leads Polls

6/22/2026

25 2 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

A June 2026 ECFR poll found two-thirds of Britons say Brexit has harmed the economy and raised living costs.
Experts say the economy is 4-8% smaller than it would be if the UK had stayed in the EU.
Net migration fell to 171,000 last year, after exceeding 900,000 in 2023.
Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, now tops opinion polls after the Conservatives lost power in 2024.

History

Historical Context

After Prime Minister David Cameron promised a post-election EU referendum in his 2015 manifesto, the June 23 2016 vote saw 51.9% choose to leave, triggering a resignation and a three-year withdrawal that ended on 31 January 2020. Decades of Eurosceptic pressure, amplified by UKIP’s 2014 surge, now fuels Reform UK’s rise under Nigel Farage, with a 2026 ECFR poll blaming Brexit for a 4-8% GDP loss.

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Story summary

A June 2026 ECFR poll found two-thirds of Britons say Brexit has harmed the economy and raised living costs.
Experts say the economy is 4-8% smaller than it would be if the UK had stayed in the EU.
Net migration fell to 171,000 last year, after exceeding 900,000 in 2023.
Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, now tops opinion polls after the Conservatives lost power in 2024.

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