Voters have changed their opinions about Brexit, but does it still matter to them? | Adam Boulton
An election will take place in the next 13 months, and Rishi Sunak and the Conservatives are trying to keep their 2019 voters by branding Sir Keir an EU lover...
Startling new findings that a narrow majority of Leave voters, 52%, now say the economy is worse off because of Brexit and that a clear majority of them, 58%, say they would vote Remain in another referendum.
Brexit was a constitutional issue, a decision to leave the constitutional mess and democratic memory hole that is the EU. Yet since the referendum we have been exposed to niggling negative coverage by the media and a wide assortment of EU fans who apparently cannot let go. Yet -
Every Conservative prime minister since David Cameron has posed as a committed leaver, vowing to deliver the will of the people as reflected in the 52% to 48% vote to leave.
They must be wondering why they bothered. In opinion polls, Brexit does not feature in the top 10 issues of concern to voters.
They probably know why they bothered - media coverage.
3 comments:
Ah, an outbreak of the Mystery Percentages (again). Unless there is a link to the source of those percentages I am inclined to ignore any claims arising from them.
Did the mystery survey merely ask if people who voted 'Leave' would now vote to rejoin, or did the question ask if they would vote to rejoin if the terms of rejoining included adopting the euro, a unified defence force, and only majority votes needed for EU policy changes?
"In opinion polls, Brexit does not feature in the top 10 issues of concern to voters."
And rightly so. It should by now have gone the way of questions about the Sudetenland, whether we should fight the Boers, and the financing of privateers. It's history.
But then again so is Cromwell misbehaving himself in Ireland, and the British Mandate in Palestine. People will keep the issue alive for as long as they can gain a benefit from resurrecting it.
DJ - yes it's a sound idea to be extremely sceptical about surveys. People could be asked if they would vote to rejoin even if an EU conflict with Russia becomes more likely.
Sam - good point, it's history, although Net Zero could resurrect the issue of flint versus bronze for toolmaking.
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