A new report by Best for Britain shows that a push for UK membership of the European Union would galvanise support among progressive voters. The report highlights that a pro-membership position offers significantly higher economic growth than the status quo, which is limiting efforts to cut the cost of living.
Parties which advocate for the UK’s membership of the European Union would galvanise their support from progressive voters, a new report by Best for Britain has identified.
A comprehensive assessment of the economic benefits and political trade offs has determined that, if progress on the government’s UK-EU reset stalls, backing the UK’s membership is the only sustainable policy position to offer a political dividend to its proponents.
Based on polling by YouGov, the new analysis by researchers at Best for Britain finds that although three in five (61%) people support the government’s current approach to EU relations, which aims to reset the relationship, build closer ties and establish deeper alignment, but just a fifth (19%) express “strong” support. Over twice that number (42%) say they only “somewhat support” Labour’s strategy, suggesting the bulk of backers are ‘holding their nose’.
Moreover, beyond the government’s current stance, the UK becoming an EU member is the most popular option, compared to joining the EU’s Single Market, negotiating a UK-EU Customs Union, or diverging even further from the EU, with a majority of voters (53%) in favour and just a third (32%) opposed.
Support for rejoining the EU is also highest among Labour (83%), Liberal Democrat (84%) and Green Party (82%) supporters with more than 3 in 5 (63-69%) of each strongly supporting this.
And even two fifths (39%) of Conservative supporters and 1 in 5 (18%) of Reform UK supporters back this policy position, further shoring it up - in conjunction with the resounding support from left-leaning voters - as the most sustainable policy path forward overall.
The analysis also highlights that advocating a membership approach - as opposed to a customs union or single market - would be the only proposal to increase support among Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green Party backers (+7%, +11% and +14% respectively).
The study also highlights that EU membership would generate a more ambitious growth agenda than the status quo, and would restore the UK’s status as a decision maker, rather than a rule-taker, in Europe.
Naomi Smith, Chief Executive of Best for Britain, said:
“We've crunched the numbers to assess the relative economic merit and political pain of each of the alternatives, and it's plain to see little appetite exists for the halfway houses of a customs union or single market entry, relative to the resounding and deeply felt support for EU membership.
“Lengthy negotiations accompany all of these options, but its only membership that provides both the economic boon and the political safety net to fend off the concerns around sovereignty swiftly exploited by the faux-patriots on the right.”
Tom Brufatto, Executive Director of Policy at Best for Britain and lead author of the report, said:
“As the UK faces alarming volatility overseas and worrying economic stagnation at home, our findings indicate that the government revisiting its approach to Europe is set to become not only legitimate, but essential.
“Looking beyond the current EU negotiations, pushing for UK membership is the most sustainable policy option available - not only would it create the most growth, it would also galvanise support from progressives across the UK.”
Neil Kinnock, former leader of the Labour Party and Vice-President of the European Commission, said:
“With an erratic US President playing war-games with all our lives, as he launches inflation-spiking conflict across the globe, it is now more obvious than ever that our ‘special relationship’ has to be with our neighbours in our continent where the UK can have the power to share decisions and exert proper influence.
"Recognition of that rational economic, political and security reality is gaining increasing public support, as this report shows. It is the patriotic course, will bring electoral appeal, and most importantly, it will serve the future and its rising generations."
Professor Anand Menon, Director, UK in a Changing Europe (UKICE), said:
“For many reasons, a recognition of the cost of Brexit, a realisation that the ‘reset’, should it succeed, will have only a relatively small economic impact and the impact of Donald Trump among them, the debate on UK-EU relations is shifting.
“This fascinating report attempts to think through the politics of different alternatives in a way that will be of real interest to all those engaged in this debate.”