Separate polls show support for closer EU-UK relations in important areas among Reform UK voters and those considering voting for Reform
Yesterday, Reform UK overturned a large Labour majority in the Runcorn and Helsby by-election narrowly winning the seat by six votes, saw the election of their first mayor, and performed strongly in council elections as well. The election was held just weeks before the UK is due to host EU leaders to discuss specific improvements to the Trade and Cooperation Agreement and other areas of cooperation.
However, a poll of more than 4,000 people undertaken by YouGov on behalf of Best for Britain in December, found that people who voted Reform UK at the last election support deepening EU-UK ties in crucial areas. Seven in ten (70%) want the government to remove trade barriers between the EU and UK with four in five in favour of greater cooperation to tackle crime and reduce illegal channel crossings (80% and 81% respectively). Around half are in favour of both a new defence pact with the EU (52%) and a Youth Mobility Scheme (49%) compared to the 36% and 38% respectively who are opposed.
In a more recent poll of a different sample undertaken by YouGov on behalf of Best for Britain in March, of people who voted Labour at the last election but said they would consider voting Reform next time, more say the government isn't going far enough in improving the EU UK relationship (33%) compared to those who say they are going too far (15%). Three in ten (30%) say the government’s current approach is about right.
Of these Reform curious Labour voters, a majority (53%) say a closer EU-UK relationship would be good for the economy with only one in ten (10%) believing the opposite, and that it would be good for defence and security (58%). More say close EU ties would even have a positive impact on the issue of immigration and asylum (39%) compared to those who believe it will make things worse (26%) and around half (48%) say it will help tackle crime in the UK compared to a minority (14%) who think it will have a negative impact.
Independent economic analysis conservatively projects that beneficial regulatory alignment with the EU on goods and services would completely offset the impact of US tariffs, driving growth of between 1.1%-1.5% with the greatest benefit felt in the Midlands and North. Without US tariffs, the research suggests the UK could conservatively see growth of up to 2.2%.
Naomi Smith, Chief Executive of Best for Britain, said,
“On the doorstep cutting PIP and winter fuel payments are the reasons voters gave for abandoning Labour, who themselves stated growth is their top priority.
“The UK-EU Summit is just weeks away, and this election result should serve as a reminder of why Keir Starmer must secure a common sense deal with Europe that ends the doom loop of economic stagnation, restores public service funding and tackles inflation. That’s what voters will reward at the next election.”