Britain is deeply divided over whether immigration controls or access to the European Single Market should be Theresa May’s priority in Brexit negotiations.
A clear majority of Londoners, young people, professional people and graduates say access to Europe’s trade club should be top of her list when she starts full-scale negotiations next year, found Ipsos MORI researchers.
But the findings are reversed among older Britons, working class people and those without qualifications, where half or more want immigration to take precedence.
The findings come as Mrs May heads for her first summit of the 28 EU leaders in Brussels, where she will set out her approach to the talks over a working dinner.
Overall, the figures suggest that there is no majority for a so-called hard Brexit in which the UK would walk away without a trade deal rather than compromise on the right to curb immigration from Europe.
Among the public as a whole, 45 per cent say Britain should prioritise Single Market access and 39 per cent say immigration controls.
The single market is the priority for 57 per cent of 18-34s, some 67 per cent of people with a degree, and 54 per cent of people in the ABC1 social classes, which cover professionals and skilled workers.
But immigration is the priority for half of those aged 55 or more, 51 per cent of unskilled or workless people, and 53 per cent of those with no qualifications.
Regional, the divide was widest in Scotland, where 61 per cent backed the single market and 22 per cent immigration controls. In London the gap was 55 to 31 for prioritising the single market. But immigration was ahead in the rest of the South, Midlands and Wales.
There is also a clear divide between the sexes. Men prioritise the single market by 50 per cent to 35 per cent, while women divide 39 per cent for the single market and 43 per cent for immigration.
Labour supporters are two-to-one for the single market (58 per cent to 28), while Conservatives divide 38 per cent for the single market against 45 per cent for immigration control.
Gideon Skinner, head of political research at Ipsos MORI said: “Four months on from the referendum and the public are still split over single market access vs immigration control, with little sign of those on either the remain or leave sides changing their minds.
This is only going to make Theresa May’s task to get a negotiation that satisfies everyone even harder.”
