Poll shows 49% of UK voters back rejoining EU as PM Burnham signals options
In short
A Mesa Group survey conducted last month found 49 percent of British voters support rejoining the European Union, against 28.5 percent who oppose it, with 48.2 percent backing a revised bilateral agreement and 47.1 percent a customs union. Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said he will present options for Britain's long-term relationship with the EU before a summit due next month, and Hankook Ilbo reported he hinted Britain could go “all the way”. European leaders said Britain would be welcomed back, but the reports cite risks of renewed social division and of boosting the right-wing Reform UK.
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A survey by the political consulting firm Mesa Group found that 49 percent of British voters support rejoining the European Union while 28.5 percent oppose it, according to Guardian reporting carried by the Korean outlets. In the same poll, conducted last month, 48.2 percent backed revising the bilateral agreement with the EU and 47.1 percent backed joining a customs union, while 27.9 percent said Britain should move further away from the bloc. Some 29.7 percent said Brexit was the right decision. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The figures follow signals from Prime Minister Andy Burnham. On September 29 he told the Labour Party's annual conference that he would present the options he has in mind for Britain's long-term relationship with its European partners before a UK-EU summit next month, which Hankook Ilbo said is due in November. In a BBC interview the next day he said Britain could go “all the way”, a remark the paper read as leaving EU membership among the choices. The Financial Times reported, citing sources, that Burnham told European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the UN General Assembly in New York on September 22 that British public opinion was “far ahead” of the Westminster political elite. [ 1 , 3 ]
Hankook Ilbo reported that a YouGov poll put support for rejoining at 55 percent against 34 percent in June, moving to 59 percent against 32 percent last month. Mesa Group estimated that Labour's vote share could rise by 4.3 to 7.4 percentage points in scenarios that strengthen ties with the EU, including a customs union, a revised agreement or rejoin. [ 3 ]
European leaders responded positively. French President Emmanuel Macron and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said at a joint press conference in Madrid on September 30, during Macron's state visit to Spain, that Britain would be welcomed back. The FT reported that Macron also reminded Britain that Europe holds the upper hand, saying it “must not think it can take only what suits it and discard the rest”. [ 3 ]
The documents also describe heavy obstacles. Hankook Ilbo cited fears of a repeat of the political and social division of the 2016 referendum, the return of EU immigration and weaker industrial investment including in autos, which could again alienate white working-class voters who backed Brexit. It added that Labour MPs in constituencies that voted for Brexit in 2016 worry that even testing public support is politically risky and could energise the right-wing Reform UK, and that France has long viewed Britain as an economic and ideological rival and will scrutinise the terms of any return. [ 1 , 3 ]
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said on October 1 that a second referendum would divide the country more than anything seen so far, adding that Burnham may have given him “the biggest boost in my political career — thank you, Andy”, according to Asia Economy. [ 1 ]
Why it matters
The poll gives Burnham domestic cover to open a debate that, if it advances, would reshape Britain's trade, immigration and industrial rules a decade after Brexit. Korean business outlets are already covering the question, reflecting interest in how a possible UK-EU reset would affect cross-border business and investment. The documents also note that any move would depend on conditions set by EU members such as France and could revive the right-wing Reform UK.
Key facts
- A survey by the political consulting firm Mesa Group, conducted last month, found 49 percent of British voters supported rejoining the EU and 28.5 percent opposed it. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Among seven options for resetting relations with the EU, rejoining drew the highest support: 48.2 percent backed revising the bilateral agreement and 47.1 percent backed joining a customs union. [ 1 ]
- In the same survey, 27.9 percent said Britain should move further away from the EU, close to the 29.7 percent who said Brexit was the right decision. [ 1 ]
- Prime Minister Andy Burnham said on September 29 that he would set out options for Britain's long-term relationship with Europe before a UK-EU summit, which Hankook Ilbo said is due in November; a BBC interview the next day left open going “all the way”, which the paper read as including rejoin. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Hankook Ilbo cited a YouGov poll showing support for rejoining at 55 percent against 34 percent in June, and 59 percent against 32 percent last month. [ 3 ]
- French President Emmanuel Macron and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said at a joint press conference in Madrid on September 30 that Britain would be welcomed back, while Macron also said Europe holds the upper hand. [ 3 ]
- Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said on October 1 that a second referendum would divide the country more than anything seen so far, and suggested Burnham may have given him “the biggest boost in my political career”. [ 1 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- A Mesa Group survey last month found 49 percent of British voters supported rejoining the EU and 28.5 percent opposed it. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Prime Minister Andy Burnham has raised the prospect of closer EU relations, saying he would present options before the next UK-EU summit, expected in November. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- Whether Burnham will formally put EU membership among the options he presents. Documents say he will present options and that Hankook Ilbo read his BBC interview as leaving rejoining open, but no document states a formal proposal.
- How much Labour would gain politically from closer EU ties. The estimate of a 4.3 to 7.4 percentage-point rise in Labour's vote share comes from Mesa Group's own analysis, reported by a single outlet citing the Guardian.
- The description of Mesa Group itself. Asia Economy calls it a political consulting firm, while Hankook Ilbo describes it as a US political consulting firm.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Asia Economy (October 3) reports the Mesa Group survey showing 49 percent support for EU rejoin, Burnham's options remarks and Farage's October 1 comment. [ 1 ]
- Chosun Ilbo (October 4) reports that about half of British voters support rejoining the EU and that Burnham has raised the possibility of a return. [ 2 ]
- Hankook Ilbo (October 4) reports the barriers to a return, the YouGov polling trend, European leaders' welcome and Macron's reminder that Europe holds the upper hand. [ 3 ]