Starmer's Brexit deception moves could spark controversy
In a recent academic survey conducted by Dr. Richard Johnson at Queen Mary University and polled by YouGov with a representative sample of over 4,500 adults, the British public has shown a strong preference for maintaining full national sovereignty. Contrary to the views expressed by many political leaders, such as UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Liberal Democrat Ed Davey, who advocate for a "Brexit reset" involving closer EU ties, an outright majority of the British public favours decisions being made within the UK for all 20 policy areas presented in the survey[1][3].
The survey, which did not explicitly mention the EU, aimed to question key issues without limiting them by EU membership. The results were striking, with 'UK governments alone' being the most popular answer for all 20 policy areas, and an outright majority for 17 out of 20[1].
Tory voters gave majority support to the 'UK governments alone' option in all 20 policy statements, while even Liberal Democrat voters, a supposedly Europhile bunch, gave majority support to this option in 16 areas[1]. Reform UK voters also supported the 'UK governments alone' for every policy[1].
This new polling suggests that the British public is asking for a reclamation of democratic rights, shattering the myth that the public favors returning to EU rule or diminished national control[1][3]. The survey's findings highlight a current political tension in the UK between public opinion favouring sovereignty and some elite calls for recalibration with the EU[1][3].
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To summarise:
| Aspect | British Public Survey | Political Leaders’ View | |----------------------------|-------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------| | Attitude to National Control| Overwhelmingly in favor of full sovereignty| Favor Brexit reset, closer EU ties, some sovereignty trade-offs | | Desire to Rejoin EU | Largely opposed | Some advocate for realignment or re-engagement | | Source of Authority | UK-based decisions preferred | EU cooperation or re-engagement favored by some leaders | | Poll Methodology | Careful, neutral framing, large sample | Political rhetoric and policy proposals focus on integration |
[1] Source: Queen Mary University and YouGov survey, 2022 [2] Source: Various academic and political debates on national sovereignty and EU integration [3] Source: Public statements and policy proposals from UK political leaders, 2022
- The 'cancel culture' debates in the UK seem to be mirroring the political tension between the British public and certain political leaders, as the former overwhelmingly prefers full national sovereignty, whereas some leaders advocate for closer EU ties.
- The recent academic survey revealed that the British public strongly supports maintaining free speech rights, as evidenced by their desire for 'UK governments alone' decisions in all 20 policy areas, contrasting with political leaders who may favor sovereignty trade-offs for closer EU ties.
- As the survey results expose a gap between the British public's preference for democratic rights and some political leaders' calls for a 'Brexit reset' and potential EU re-engagement, the cultural debate around politics and national control continues to be a significant topic of discussion in general-news discourse.
