Nearly two-thirds of British voters, across all political parties, believe that the UK’s decision to leave the European Union in 2016 has had a negative impact on the country, according to a poll by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) released on Sunday.
The survey, conducted between May 7 and May 14 among more than 2,000 respondents, found that two-thirds believe Brexit has increased the cost of living and harmed the economy.
“A decade on, Britons are realising that their hopes for a better life outside the EU are unmet and that Brexit is undermining the UK’s ability to address the issues that matter most to voters,” said ECFR director Mark Leonard.
Some 56% of respondents believe leaving the EU has been negative for managing irregular migration, trade and bureaucracy, while 57% say it has reduced opportunities for young people and the same share consider Brexit to have been a “mistake.”
Three-quarters now want closer ties with the EU, the ECFR said.
The poll also showed that Britons increasingly favour Europe over the United States as a partner on security issues, with only 18% viewing the US as an ally.
Control of migration was a central focus of the Brexit campaign. However, the survey indicates that 56% of Britons believe the UK’s post-Brexit approach has failed and would support restoring free movement with the EU in exchange for closer trade relations.
The ECFR said a separate survey across 15 EU countries found that two-thirds of Europeans would support the UK rejoining the EU in the future.
