Support for EU membership wafer thin

Voters don't trust the EU to implement Cameron's deal, new poll suggests

Public support for staying in the European Union remains wafer thin, with many not trusting EU leaders to abide by their commitments according to new data published today.

The poll, carried out by BMG Research for the Evening Standard, sees 41 per cent of respondents claiming they will vote to leave the EU, compared to 44 per cent who plan to remain. 15 per cent are undecided.  Among Conservatives, a majority, 51 per cent want to leave compared with 39 per cent who plan to vote to remain inside the Union.

While 36 per cent of those questioned revealed that the way they plan to vote has been influenced to some extent by David Cameron’s deal in Brussels last week, just 22 per cent express trust for other EU leaders to stick to the deal and change European treaties in order to make the PM’s deal legally binding.

17 per cent said that they trust the European Commission to come up with detailed proposals after the referendum is over in such a way that it delivers the agreement in full, compared to 56 per cent who do not trust the Commission.

And only 15 per cent trust the European Parliament to pass the legislation that would implement the deal without watering it down.

Asked if the Prime Minister had secured a ‘good deal’ in the late night negotiations last week, just 13 per cent said that he had. 42 per cent indicated that it was a poor deal and 45 per cent did not know.

Commenting on the findings, BMG Research Director, Dr Michael Turner, said:

“It should be noted that differential turnout will be an important factor in deciding the referendum, so understanding the views of key groups that are likely and unlikely to turn out will be critical to understand how the result may settle, and how to motivate others to turn out also. A clear majority (54 per cent) of those who said they will definitely vote at the EU referendum said that they don’t think the reforms negotiated will actually reduce overall migration from the EU to the UK. In addition, more than two thirds (68 per cent) of definite voters think that the European parliament will water down any deal made – not delivering all of it.”

5 Responses to “Support for EU membership wafer thin”

  1. Phil Jones

    This will be the only opportunity that we shall get to return our present EU province to a self-governing independent country. Presently 80% of new law governing our lives comes in as Directives originating with the European Commission, and those Directives are then rubber-stamped at Westminster. This makes the European Union the equivalent of a federal country similar to the US, Canada and Australia. In fact the European Union is already a tighter federal country than either Canada or the US — where only about 1/3 of new law originates at the federal level. The UK at present is the equivalent of Florida, Ontario or New South Wales — one of the provinces/states of a larger federal country. The UK, as part of a larger country, has no control over its borders or free movement from the EU provinces, in just the same way as Florida can’t control who enters from Georgia. No difference. Someone who crosses into the US from Mexico has a perfect right to travel to Florida, in the same way as someone entering one of the EU provinces has a right to move to the UK. It would be wonderful if the British people vote to LEAVE the EU country and return self-government to the UK — but I’m not holding my breath. The scare tactics and blackmail and threats from Big Business and the Government and its sycophant UK media (particularly the BBC) are already flying fast and loose. How very many regrets there will be down the road if STAY wins!! The Government will ensure that no further Referendum is ever granted.

  2. Gerry Toner

    The EU is a concept of nationhood and corporatism. It is not a democratic entity and is not ready for or suitable ground for, development of a truly human democracy. It is corporate speak to argue that it is better to fight from within. We are never without. We are all within human society. The EU is a club for credulous educated and elitist types who can learn any vernacular but cannot make bread or wine. Cameron like Blair speaks the language of formal education not life experience. He can say “we are all in it together” without a blink of an eye because the fool believes it. We should start our own human centred European club that can grow at the pace that people want it.

  3. Government must tread carefully on EU conspiracy theories | Left Foot Forward

    […] Polling information published yesterday demonstrates once again that trust – and lack of trust in EU institutions – is a major issue that needs to be addressed by ‘Remain’. […]

  4. SimonB

    44% is not wafer thin, it’s almost half.

  5. Mike Stallard

    Only red Tories care about the EU. The real issue for working class people is the economy and the EU is the place to make sure of workers’ rights. Jeremy Corbyn just is not bothered about the EU anyway: like most other people he is bored by the whole thing.

    Me I am not a leftie. But I am interested to know: have I got it right?

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