A recent poll shows that every constituency in Britain favors trade with the EU over the US, highlighting shifting priorities post-Brexit.
London: A new poll has come out just in time for the fifth anniversary of Brexit, and it’s pretty eye-opening. Turns out, every constituency in the UK thinks the government should focus on trade with the EU instead of the US.
This survey, done by YouGov for the pro-EU group Best for Britain, gathered opinions from nearly 15,000 folks across England, Scotland, and Wales. Almost half of the people surveyed, about 46%, said the EU should be the top priority for trade. In contrast, only 21% chose the US.
Interestingly, just 4% thought China should be the focus, while 6% picked another country. Even in Clacton, Nigel Farage’s old stomping ground, people are leaning towards the EU despite his pro-Trump stance.
Boston and Skegness, known for their strong Leave votes in 2016, are also on the same page. The desire for closer ties with the EU is even stronger among those who switched from Conservative to Labour, with 57% supporting EU trade.
Among Labour voters, a whopping 66% want the government to prioritize EU trade, while only 9% are in favor of the US. Best for Britain is pushing to keep the UK open to EU membership and tackle the issues that have come up since Brexit.
This poll comes right after Donald Trump was sworn in for a second term, where he promised tariffs on China and the EU. Sir Keir Starmer has dismissed the idea that the UK has to choose between the two, calling it “plain wrong.”
However, Rachel Reeves mentioned that the government is open to exploring a tariff-free trading scheme with Europe. The Chancellor said they’d consider joining the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Convention, as long as it aligns with their goals of not rejoining the EU.
Labour has ruled out rejoining the customs union or single market but is keen on closer economic ties with Brussels. EU trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic even suggested that Britain could join the PEM for tariff-free trade across Europe and some neighboring regions.
Meanwhile, Trump has expressed a willingness to maintain strong ties with the UK, praising Starmer’s performance and hinting at a phone call soon. He mentioned, “I get along with him well. I like him a lot,” which shows there’s still some connection there.
The poll surveyed 14,858 adults between December 16 and December 28, 2024. The Foreign Office has been reached out to for comments on these findings.
