British voters want to be part of the European Union more than their French and Italian counterparts, a new poll reveals.
The YouGov survey, carried out in six European countries, shows 50 per cent of voters in the UK would vote to be an EU member if there was a referendum now, compared to 45 per cent and 46 per cent in France and Italy. The numbers were higher in Germany (62 per cent) Denmark (75 per cent) and Spain (66 per cent).
It also found that in Britain, just 31 per cent of people said they would vote to be outside the EU – far fewer than the 52 per cent who backed Brexit nearly a decade ago. In France, that figure was 30 per cent, Italy 28 per cent, Germany 20 per cent, Denmark 14 per cent and Spain 13 per cent.
The findings will put pressure on Keir Starmer days after No 10 said he would stick to his EU “red lines”, despite an interview in which Wes Streeting appeared to back a customs union with the bloc.
In what was seen as a direct challenge to Sir Keir, his health secretary said a “deeper trading relationship” with Europe would boost UK economic growth.
The Labour leader has pledged a “reset” of UK-EU relations but has rejected calls to rejoin the group or become part of its single market or customs union.
Despite Sir Keir’s stance, Labour ministers have begun to talk up the economic costs of Brexit more.
Last month, it was reported that Baroness Shafik, Sir Keir’s chief economic adviser, privately recommended rejoining the customs union in the run-up to last month’s Budget, arguing it would cut costs for businesses and increase exports.
The deputy prime minister, David Lammy, also suggested that rejoining the union could increase economic growth, although he stressed it was not government policy.
It comes after an analysis seen by The Independent revealed that Brexit is costing the UK up to £90bn a year in lost tax revenues.
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.”
Dr Mike Galsworthy, chair of the pro-EU campaign group European Movement UK, said the new figures showed “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.”
The poll also found that Sir Keir was one of the most unpopular leaders across the six countries, beaten only by the French president Emmanuel Macron.
Just 17 per cent of Britons had a favourable opinion of their leader. In France, that figure was 16 per cent, compared to 25 per cent for Friedrich Merz in Germany, 35 per cent for Giorgia Meloni in Italy, 30 per cent for Pedro Sánchez in Spain and 34 per cent for Mette Frederiksen in Denmark.
The Cabinet Office has been approached for comment.