Ten years after the Brexit referendum, the British public supports closer ties with the European Union, but still does not fully support rejoining the bloc, according to a survey, PA Media and DPA reported, quoted by BTA.
A survey by Ipsos, King's College London and "The United Kingdom in a Changing Europe" found that a large proportion of the public is open to closer ties with the EU, with almost half supporting closer ties and 60% wanting more defence cooperation.
But attitudes towards the EU remain "complex", said Ipsos director Kieran Pedley.
He said: "At first glance there is openness to greater coordination and rule-making to facilitate stronger trading relations, but the arguments for sovereignty – particularly on immigration – remain compelling."
While 53% of the British public said they would support the return of free movement in exchange for access to the EU single market, framing the question in terms of sovereignty showed that people prioritised immigration control over relations with the bloc.
Some 52% said they preferred full border controls and a more limited relationship with the EU, compared to 38% who said the opposite.
Anand Menon, director of the think tank "The UK in a Changing Europe", said the survey showed that "there is no easy option when it comes to relations with the EU".
The survey also showed that attitudes towards both the EU and the referendum have changed over the past 10 years.
In 2021, 27% of respondents said that Brexit was going worse than they expected, while in 2026 this share had already increased to 48% – more than those who think things are going well or better than expected.
While in 2016 two-thirds of the public thought David Cameron had done the right thing by calling the referendum, that proportion has now fallen to 43%, while the number of those who say it was the wrong decision has risen from 24% to 38%.
Similarly, there is greater support for a second referendum, with 48% now saying they would support it, compared to 27% who would oppose it.
But despite the shift, Professor Bobby Duffy of King's College London said opinions were changing "extremely slowly", adding: "At this rate it will be many years before we get to a clear demand for change."