Brexit: Increasing majority back second referendum if UK faces leaving EU without a deal, finds poll

Pollsters also found that voters are in the dark when it comes to main parties’ positions on Brexit

An increasing majority of people would back a second European Union referendum if Britain faced crashing out of the bloc without a deal, a new poll claims.

It comes after the national debate over a second referendum came under the spotlight last week when Nigel Farage, the former Ukip leader, signalled he would support the idea.

While both Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn have repeatedly dismissed such calls, the new poll by BMG Research found that 57 per cent of those who expressed a view would back a fresh public vote if the UK was set to leave the bloc and resort to World Trade Organisation (WTO) terms, with 43 per cent opposed.

Overall, 42 per cent of people backed a second referendum in a “no deal” scenario, 32 per cent opposed a second vote and 26 per cent said they did not know.

The poll, for the progressive Left Foot Forward website, found that 74 per cent of Labour supporters who expressed an opinion backed a second vote if the UK faced WTO terms and tariffs.

The overall 57 per cent figure is a marginal increase on last month, when 54 per cent backed a second vote if Theresa May fails to strike a deal with Brussels.

Pollsters also found that voters are in the dark when it comes to the main parties’ positions on EU withdrawal, with just 28 per cent of Labour voters thinking the party’s Brexit stance is clear. In contrast, 37 per cent said the party’s stance is somewhat or very unclear.

The results will also make uncomfortable reading for the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats, with just 28 per cent of voters for the former and 26 per cent for the latter knowing the Brexit stance of Ms May and Vince Cable’s parties.

Josiah Mortimer, the editor of Left Foot Forward, said that while Labour has been under fire in recent weeks for a lack of clarity on Brexit “it seems the other parties are faring little better, with a majority of those with a view believing the Tories’ and Lib Dems’ stance on the issue.

“This poll suggests parties need to get their messages straight when it comes to our departure from the EU. Leaders are understandably fudging the issue in the face of negotiations – but sooner or later Labour and the Conservatives will need to be open with the public.”

He added: “Voters are going to get restless at some point. It’s anyone’s guess where that frustration might go.”

Source Note: BMG Research interviewed a representative sample of 1,513 UK adults online between 9 and 12 January. Data are weighted. BMG is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by their rules.