57% of Britons Regret Brexit After 10 Years as 59% Back Closer EU Ties
Updated
Updated · The Week · Jun 23
57% of Britons Regret Brexit After 10 Years as 59% Back Closer EU Ties
3 articles · Updated · The Week · Jun 23
Summary
A decade after the 2016 referendum, 57% of Britons now say leaving the EU was the wrong decision, according to YouGov, including 23% of people who voted Leave.
That shift comes as 59% support a closer relationship with the EU, though opinion remains split over whether that should mean deeper cooperation or eventual re-entry.
Commentators across the anniversary coverage linked Brexit to weaker growth, harder day-to-day conditions and prolonged political turmoil, with six prime ministers cycling through Westminster since the vote.
The debate has not disappeared: Brexit supporters still argue tariff cuts, trade deals and looser AI rules show gains from leaving, even as calls grow for a bespoke reset with Brussels short of rejoining.
With a majority of Britons now wanting to rejoin the EU, what is preventing a second referendum from happening?
If Brexit failed to reduce migration or boost trade, what tangible benefits has the UK actually seen in ten years?
A decade on, has Brexit's promise of sovereignty been worth the £100 billion annual cost to the UK economy?
A Decade of Brexit: The UK’s Economic, Political, and Social Transformation Since 2016
Overview
Ten years after the UK's 2016 referendum to leave the European Union, public opinion has shifted dramatically. While the British electorate initially chose to break from 43 years of EU membership, the decade since has seen growing regret and a strong consensus for closer ties with Europe. This change in sentiment is so significant that many now doubt the 2016 vote will be the final say on EU membership. The evolving public mood reflects a reassessment of Brexit’s impact, with increasing support for re-engagement with the EU and a recognition that the country’s relationship with Europe remains a central issue for the future.