Ten years after the Brexit vote, 63% of Britons want to rejoin the EU, but political and diplomatic barriers remain
A decade after the 2016 referendum, multiple surveys show a clear majority of British people now consider leaving the European Union a mistake and support rejoining, though UK politicians and EU diplomats remain cautious.
A changed public mood
Ten years after the 2016 referendum, new surveys show a decisive shift in British opinion. A YouGov poll in May found 56% in favour of rejoining the EU, while other estimates put average support at 60% this year. The European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) survey published by La Vanguardia puts the figure at 63%, with 57% saying Brexit was a mistake. Among young people, the desire to return reaches 70%.
We're still waiting for the glories of Brexit. And the benefits of Brexit.
- General public (YouGov)
- 56 %
- General public (ECFR)
- 63 %
- Youth
- 70 %
- Labour voters
- 84 %
- Conservative voters
- 59 %
EU diplomats signal caution
AFP spoke with half a dozen European diplomats who said their countries would in principle be open to the UK's return, noting that a nuclear power with a permanent UN Security Council seat would strengthen the bloc. But all warned that London would have to show full commitment and accept obligations it previously rejected. One diplomat said, "They are not yet conceptually ready to accept the burdens of membership." Several noted the EU has become more cohesive without the UK's constant demands for opt‑outs and rebates.
Now things are easier. We no longer have to constantly look for formulas to accommodate exclusion clauses in every dossier.
Political stalemate in Westminster
Prime Minister Keir Starmer, whose popularity is low, has stuck to a policy of closer ties without rejoining. His expected challenger, Andy Burnham, has voiced a desire for the UK to one day re‑enter the EU, though other reports indicate he opposes undoing Brexit outright. The anti‑EU Reform UK party under Nigel Farage leads in voting intention polls, further complicating the debate. Since 2016, the country has cycled through seven prime ministers.
Economic costs and the youth divide
The ECFR survey finds that 66% of Britons now find it harder to make ends meet and blame the damage to the relationship with the EU, their main trading partner. A 56% majority believes that leaving the EU has increased illegal immigration, contrary to a key Leave promise. The generational gap is stark: 84% of Labour voters and 59% of Conservatives support free movement of people, a condition that was anathema a decade ago.
Britain needs to rejoin Europe as soon as possible. As soon as they accept us. I'm sure they will welcome us with open arms.
A Union moving on
Opinion writer Jordi Juan notes that the EU has likely advanced more easily without British vetoes, passing landmark measures like the NextGenerationEU recovery fund, the Green Deal, and migration policy. France's Marine Le Pen no longer advocates a Frexit, a sign that the Brexit fiasco has inoculated other member states against departure. The question now is whether a future UK government and a more united EU can find a path back.
