Britons want a closer relationship with the EU, but without reviving the divisions of Brexit | International

The angry souls who confronted friends and families during agricultural years have been appeased, and in a slow and discreet way, but firmly, an idea has been consolidated among the majority of British citizens: Brexit has brought about more advice than ever before. . As a consequence, there is a growing desire to forge a good relationship with the EU based on pragmatism, which avoids the possibility of emerging again into an aggressive national debate.

A majority of citizens (52%) wanted the United Kingdom to have a closer relationship with the EU, following the survey carried out by Focaldata for the British Future organisation. It is one of the largest and most complete studios created to date on the evolution of the attitude of the British in the context that has marked a whole generation. Beyond Brexit; Public Perspectives on the Future UK-EU Relationship (More after Brexit: Perspective of Public Opinion on the Future of the United Kingdom-Unión Europea) worked on a list of 2,027 citizens consulted throughout the country, between 29 June and 11 July, as above 12 focus groups (groups of information, which select citizens with distinct attitudes to listen to what was debated above) in London, Manchester and Peterborough, one of the cities with the greatest support for Brexit in the 2016 referendum.

The EU, before the EE UU

The desire to strengthen relations between the United Kingdom and the EU from a practical point of view is much more than strengthening the transatlantic relationship with United States, as Eurosceptics have promised over the years. 50% of those consulted consider it more important for peace, stability and prosperity to seek it with Bruselas than with Washington (26%) or with any of the countries that make up the Commonwealth (Comunidad de Naciones), which accounts for 27% .

I support greater cooperation in matters such as combating international crime and terrorism (68%), better commercial relations (61%), greater cooperation in science and investigation (61%), defense (57%), fight against climate change (56%) or defense of human rights (50%) suggests, according to the report, that Britons have abandoned to one side the emotional component that I would advise Brexit to give priority to a more pragmatic component.

“There is a clear pragmatic support among British citizens for greater cooperation with our neighbors in the EU. But people don’t feel European, and mutual interests — fighting against terrorism or against climate change, for example — are more attractive to those consulted than the idea of ​​one supreme shared value or principle,” explains Heather Rolfe, director de Estudios de British Future and one of the studio’s authors.

The strategy of the Labor Party

The study highlights the strategy implemented in recent years by the leader of the Labor opposition, Keir Starmer, and his team: the promise of greater collaboration and a better relationship with the EU, but without reviving ideas that would still prevent the tragedy of division social as re-entry into the European Union, or into the internal market or into the shared space.

“Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves (the Labor Spokesperson for the Economy and Potential Minister) have now defined the idea of ​​resetting the relationship with the EU. Citizens are willing to give her space and permission to seek this pragmatic increase in cooperation, although it is not very clear that this appetite also exists in Bruselas in these moments,” says Sunder Katwala, director of British Future.

Less than 9% of those consulted identified themselves as “Europeans” in the country, and the figure was also lower than those belonging to ethnic minorities. There is also a broad consensus on the issue of reviving the years of controversy surrounding Brexit. 59% of those consulted say that the future debate regarding the relationship with the EU will be much less heated. It is a desire shared both among labor voters (68%) and conservatives (61%), and among Brexit defenders (56%) and among supporters of the permanence of the European Union (76%).

However, with calmed hearts and the general feeling that the debate has ended, call attention to the study that 49% of those consulted now believe that it was a mistake to abandon the EU. 36% defy the decision. 15% do not know which responders.

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