Voters back full UK control on every major issue, demolishing the myth that Britain wants to return to EU rule.
A major new poll has dealt a decisive blow to the claim, common among parts of the political and media establishment, that British voters want to return to the European Union or align closely with its rules.
The survey, commissioned by Dr Richard Johnson, Senior Lecturer in Politics at Queen Mary University of London and conducted by YouGov, shows overwhelming support for British sovereignty in all major areas of policy previously limited by EU membership.
Over 4,500 GB adults were asked how 20 key policy areas should be decided. The options were:
- The UK government should decide alone.
- The UK government should seek but not be bound by international agreements.
- The UK should be required to follow decisions made by international institutions.
The results are unequivocal: in none of the 20 areas did a majority support anything other than UK-only decision-making.
In fact, on average, 60% of respondents across all policies said decisions should be made by the British government alone. Just 9% supported handing decision-making power to international institutions, a category that includes bodies like the European Court of Human Rights and former EU regulatory frameworks.
Some of the policy areas polled would typically be considered “left-wing”, such as nationalisation of the railways, state aid for economically deprived areas, or public procurement rules. Others, like immigration control, border security, and fishing rights, are more often seen as “right-wing” concerns. Yet across the ideological spectrum, British voters consistently backed national control.
Among the starkest results:
- 67% of respondents said food standards should be decided by the UK government alone, contradicting Labour’s claim that its proposal to align UK food standards with EU rules enjoys popular support.
- A clear majority want UK control over immigration and border security, rejecting the idea that international courts or institutions should dictate who can come to Britain.
- Across all 20 policies tested, the middle-ground option, that the UK should seek voluntary agreements with other countries — was less popular than full domestic control.
Dr Johnson, who commissioned the poll, noted he was surprised by the strength of the results. “Given that people could choose a more cooperative model, and given that the current government is unpopular, I expected more support for internationalism or compromise. But the opposite happened.”
The findings suggest that while many voters are frustrated with the current state of the country, they believe the answers lie in decisions made, and owned, by the UK government in Westminster. Far from showing Brexit regret, the poll makes clear that the idea of rejoining EU institutions is, at best, a comforting myth for some — and at worst, a fantasy built on a fallacy.
As Lord Frost, the UK’s former Chief Brexit negotiator, put it:
“People may be unhappy with the state of the country. But this poll shows they want the British government to use its new powers to deal with it. They do not want Britain to adopt rules set by others without any say. And having taken back control from the EU, they want to use it.”
In short, having taken back control, voters now want to use it.
The poll’s full cross-tabs are available for download here: https://ygo-assets-websites-editorial-emea.yougov.net/documents/QMUL_Results_250801.pdf
By Claire Bullivant
