Britons have turned against the idea of quitting the European Union despite the rise of Ukip, exclusive new polling reveals today.
It found that a clear majority would vote to stay in the EU in a referendum — marking a dramatic turnaround from two years ago. The findings suggest Ukip’s surge this year has less to do with anti-EU sentiment and more to do with anxieties about immigration or disenchantment with the bigger parties.
Fifty-six per cent of people said they would vote to stay in if there were a re-ferendum now, while just 36 per cent would vote to leave, according to the Ipsos MORI poll. Excluding “don’t knows”, that amounts to a clear divide of 61 to 39 per cent.
In November 2012, the same question found that 44 per cent wanted to stay and 48 wanted to get out. At the time, support for Nigel Farage’s party stood at a mere three per cent, compared with the current level of 16 per cent — a record figure for an Ipsos MORI poll. But while support for Ukip has risen by 13 percentage points over the two-year period, support for quitting the EU has dropped by 12 points.
Backing for EU membership is at its highest since 1991 — before the Maastricht Treaty which increased integration and created the European Union out of the European Community.
The latest poll found supporters of all three main parties are, on balance, in favour of staying in the EU: 51 per cent of Tories, 73 per cent of Labour backers and 82 per cent of Liberal Democrats.
But 82 per cent of Ukip supporters say they want to leave. Londoners are the strongest supporters of staying in the EU, with 66 per cent in favour.
Gideon Skinner, head of political research at Ipsos MORI said: “Support for Britain’s membership is up significantly since the depths of the eurozone debt crisis in 2011 — although that does not mean the public simply want the relationship to stay the same.
“There is a polarisation in views. UKIP supporters are twice as likely to say Europe is going to be important to their vote in the next election — although it is still some way behind immigration — and are much more sceptical. Supporters of the other parties put the issue lower down on their list and are more in favour of membership.”
The public are divided over exactly what Britain’s role in Europe should be. One in three would prefer to be a part of an economic community without political links, while 29 per cent want the relationship with Europe to stay broadly the same. One in six want to leave the EU, while 14 per cent support closer integration.
