Tag: Prospect

Exactly the same proportion of voters believe there should be a second referendum on Brexit as think the UK should leave the EU without a deal, according to the latest Opinium poll for the Observer. The survey shows the country split down the middle, with 43% supporting a delay to Brexit in order to hold a second public vote and 43% believing the UK should simply quit without any agreement with Brussels. If a second referendum were held with the options of accepting Theresa May’s deal or remaining in the EU on the ballot paper, 46% said they would back remain, against 36% who would vote to leave on the terms of the prime minister’s proposal. The poll comes after a dramatic week of voting in parliament when the prime minister’s deal was rejected for a second time, by 149 votes. MPs also voted to rule out no-deal and to extend article 50 by at least three months. Despite the government’s troubles over Brexit, and cabinet splits on the issue, the Conservatives (on 38%) hold a four-point lead over Labour (34%) with the Liberal Democrats and Ukip both on 8%. May’s ratings on her handling of Brexit remain dire (-30%, when the proportion who disapprove of her handling of it – 56% – is subtracted from the proportion who approve – 26%). Chaotic scenes as Nigel Farage's Brexit march sets off for London Read more The poll shows that if the UK is still a member of the EU on 23 May, more British people would find voting in the European elections unacceptable (43%) than would be relaxed about the idea (38%). If the UK were to elect a new batch of MEPs, 13% say they would not vote, 19% would vote for Labour, 19% for the Tories and 11% for Ukip. This has fallen slightly and is now an 11-point lead.