Tory members happy to trash UK economy and destroy their own party to get Brexit, poll finds

Members of the governing party will stop at almost nothing to get Britain out of the EU

Conservative party members would happily support the break-up of the UK, “significant damage” to the British economy and even the destruction of their own party in order to secure Brexit, a poll has found.

The study by YouGov found that the governing party’s membership, now thought to number just over 100,000 people, will single-mindedly stop at almost nothing to take Britain out of the EU.

With the party’s leadership contest under way to select the next prime minister, the survey of members found that 46 per cent of them would be happy to see Nigel Farage at the helm of the Tories. A further 13 per cent said they would be ambivalent, while 40 per cent said it would not be a good thing.

Sixty-three per cent of members said they would be prepared to accept Scottish independence to get Brexit, while 59 per cent said the same about a united Ireland. Just 29 and 28 per cent were opposed, respectively.

“Significant damage” to the UK economy was also no deterrent, with 61 per cent in favour and 29 per cent opposed. Some 54 per cent said the Tory party’s complete destruction would still be a price worth paying for Brexit.

Thirty-six per cent of party members – a somewhat higher number than for the other consequences – said their own party’s destruction would not be a price worth paying.

The only thing Conservative members said could make them abandon Brexit was if that stopped Jeremy Corbyn becoming prime minister. Thirty-nine per cent said they would still go ahead with Brexit if it meant the socialist moving into Downing Street, but a majority – 51 per cent – thought Labour taking power would be a bridge too far.

Theresa May’s official spokesperson made clear that the prime minister was at odds with party members who thought the break-up of Britain was a price worth paying for Brexit.

The spokesperson said: “Right from her very first day in office and throughout the Brexit negotiations, the prime minister has placed great importance on securing the union.

“It is hugely important to her and you have seen throughout her commitment to trying to protect the integrity of the union.”

Another section of the study found that 58 per cent of Tory members thought leaving the EU without a deal would win the Tories the next election – with around a third of those people believing it might also keep them in power for multiple elections to come.

Just over half of members thought the party would be so damaged that it would never govern again if Brexit was not delivered. A further 29 per cent believed this would put them out of power for multiple elections to come.

Support for a second referendum in the Tory party is minuscule, with just 5 per cent of members believing such a pledge would win the party the next election, compared to 67 per cent who believed it would keep them out of power for multiple elections to come or forever.

The Conservative membership alone will get to vote on the next prime minister, with Boris Johnson far in the lead. The candidates will first be whittled down to a final pair by Tory MPs, the only people to have a vote at this stage in the contest.