UK and EU attitudes to EU membership
There is a big difference between believing in hindsight that the Brexit vote was a mistake and attitudes to rejoining the EU. However, polls on rejoining show that attitudes have shifted significantly in favour of a closer relationship with the EU.
Interestingly, UK adults are more in favour of their country being an EU member than adults in France and Italy are for theirs. However, adults in Germany, Spain and Denmark are more in favour than Britons.
Polling of adults in the UK and those five EU members, by YouGov in January 2026, showed:
“…50% of voters in the UK would vote to be an EU member if there was a referendum now, compared to 45% and 46% in France and Italy. The numbers were higher in Germany, 62%, Denmark, 75%, and Spain, 66%.
YouGov also found that in Britain, just 31% of people said they would vote to be outside the EU – far fewer than the 52% who backed Brexit nearly a decade ago. In France, that figure was 30%, Italy 28%, Germany 20%, Denmark 14% and Spain 13%.”
Source: Independent, British voters want to be part of the EU more than the French and Italians, new poll reveals, 2 January 2026
UK support for rejoining
The latest polls in June 2026 show that 55% of British voters would back returning to the EU, with only 34% opposed and 11% undecided. See Figure 17.6 from YouGov based on fieldwork undertaken 2nd – 3rd June 2026.
Support for rejoining is strongest among progressive party voters:
- 81% of Green Party;
- 79% of Labour;
- 78% of Lib Dem.
Support for rejoining is much lower among right-wing voters:
- 30% of Conservative;
- 12% of Reform UK.
The figures drop across all groups of voters if the UK were to rejoin without its previous opt-outs (join the euro and become a member of Schengen). In these circumstances:
- 35% would support rejoining and 43% would oppose, but the undecideds rise to 22%.
Figure 17.6: Views on rejoining and previous opt-outs
Source: YouGov, What do Britons think of Brexit, 10 years since the referendum?, June 2026
What relationship is supported?
Most voters support (59%) a closer relationship with the EU without actually rejoining the bloc, the Single Market or Customs Union. Only 20% oppose a closer relationship and only 10% say they don’t know. See Figure 17.7.
An unspecified closer relationship with the EU has the most support among Leave voters (54%), and 2024 Conservative voters (61%). However, Reform voters are in two minds: 43% oppose and 39% support.
When offered specific options for the relationship, half support rejoining the Customs Union, half support joining the Single Market, and about a quarter oppose. However, in both cases, the don’t knows more than double to 26% and 25% respectively.
Figure 17.7: What relationship with the EU do Britons support?
Sources:
YouGov, What do Britons think of Brexit, 10 years since the referendum?, June 2026
YouGov, Detailed survey results
Expected impact on UK of rejoining
Views on the impact of rejoining are mostly positive or neutral. The main area of perceived negative impact was in relation to control that the UK has over its own laws (Figure 17.8).
The main benefits relate to the economy, businesses and trade as well as influence and security:
- over half (51-55%) believe that rejoining the EU would have a positive impact on the UK’s economy, businesses and level of international trade;
- nearly half (46-47%) expect rejoining the EU would benefit the UK’s diplomatic influence in Europe and national security.
- in these two cases, no more than 19% of Britons believe rejoining would hold a negative impact, while 16-23% think it would make no real difference.
However, fewer see direct personal impacts from rejoining the EU:
- 31% of Britons believe their household finances would be improved:
- 32% expect it would make no difference and 17% feel they would be worse off.
- 30% of Britons expect that the NHS would be better off:
- 35% think it would make no difference and 17% think it would be worse.
- 28% feel that Britain’s politics would be more stable:
- 31% think it would make no difference and 23% think it would be worse.
Figure 17.8: Expected impact on UK of rejoining
Source: YouGov, What do Britons think of Brexit, 10 years since the referendum?, June 2026
Expected impact on immigration
Four in ten Britons (41%) believe that rejoining the EU would lead to a higher level of immigration into the UK. By contrast, about the same number (37%) say it would make no real difference to the level of immigration. See Figure 17.9.
Those that believe Brexit was wrong tend to believe rejoining would make no difference to the level of immigration. However those that voted Leave and believe Brexit was right seem convinced (81%) that immigration would rise.
Figure 17.9: Impact of rejoining on level of immigration
Sources:
YouGov, What do Britons think of Brexit, 10 years since the referendum?, June 2026
YouGov, Detailed survey results
Views on Freedom of Movement
Views on Freedom of Movement depend on how the question is framed. A majority, three in five (63%) support reintroducing Freedom of Movement in principle for all UK and EU citizens, with one in five (22%) opposed (Figure 17.10).
Even when it is asked in the context of increasing immigration of EU citizens to the UK, respondents still tend to support Freedom of Movement with around half (47%) saying they support the policy. However, now two in five (41%) oppose it (Figure 17.11).
Best for Britain commissioned YouGov to poll views on Freedom of Movement in March 2026 using these two framings.
Under (i) – principle – YouGov found that a majority, three in five (63%), support reintroducing Freedom of Movement in principle, with one in five (22%) opposed (Figure 17.10).
- Labour (90%), Liberal Democrat (87%) and Green Party (90%) supporters support the policy irrespective of its framing
- Reform UK supporters (55%) oppose it, while Conservative supporters (34%) reversed their previous support for the policy.
Under (ii) – increasing EU immigration to the UK – respondents still tend to support Freedom of Movement, with around half (47%) saying they support the policy, but now two in five (41%) oppose (Figure 17.11).
- Labour (78%), Liberal Democrat (71%) and Green Party (84%) voters support the policy;
- Reform UK voters (83%) oppose it, as do Conservative voters (58%).
Figure 17.10: Freedom of Movement for all UK and EU citizens
Figure 17.11: Freedom of Movement with increased immigration to UK
