Five years are today (31/1) since its official divorce with the European Union, in the implementation of the 2016 referendum in which 52% of Britons voted in favor of 48% against it. Remainers’ harsh confrontation with Brexiteers, the four -year negotiation between London and Brussels on divorce terms, the management of exit, the rise of populism and the far -right have left deep marks on the country’s political life.
Following the resignation of referendum inspirer David Cameron, the Conservative Party changed four more prime ministers (Teresa May, Boris Johnson, Elizabeth Trars and Risi Sntula) and eventually lost his power last year. Economic analysts speak of billions of losses on a yearly basis due to Brexit while the labor government is throwing bridges to Brussels for a “restart”, however, avoiding talking about reintegration into the EU and opening new wounds.
But what do British citizens think about Brexit? Were their expectations justified or denied? Yougov poll, which took place on the eve of the 5th anniversary, shows that Brexit’s “cutters” have increased as almost one in five who had voted in favor of the exit. The overall 55% of Brexit is not surprising, as it is steady over 50% since the summer of 2022.
What makes sense is the increasing dissatisfaction of the defenders of the exit for its effects. Only a tough core of 30% insist that Brexit was right, while 18% of those who said they had voted in favor of leaving the EU say it was wrong, among them 29% of conservative voters. In addition, the new generation (18-24 years old), who had not voted in the referendum, considers an overwhelming rate (75%) that Brexit was wrong while only 10% say it was right.
It is not surprising, therefore, that British citizens support 55%of reintegration in the EU (39%”vigorously”, “somewhat” 16%). But what should be taken into account by officials in London and Brussels is that only 8% of the British believe that the relationship with the EU is one of the priority issues for the United Kingdom. In other words, the issue has been judged and is now looking for additional solutions and improvements, but not a return to the referendum state of affairs
While the Labor Prime Minister, Kir Starmer, is making careful moves to approach the “27”, the new Conservative leader, Kemi Badenok, is taking distances from the handling of her predecessors by saying that the party should admit that it was making mistakes. “We announced that we would leave the EU without having a plan for out -of -EU growth (…), first legislated for zero carbon emissions by 2050 and then we started thinking about how to do so, we announced that we would reduce migration but it continued to continue to do so. It is growing, ”said Badenok, who was a minister in three consecutive conservative governments.
Badenok feels the breath of the far -right populist and “prince of Brexit” Nigel Faraz, who threatens to “understand” the conservative party with the blessings of his transatlantic friends, such as Donald Trump, It removes the country even more from Europe.
