Voters are in the dark when it comes to parties' views on how we leave the EU.
Voters are in the dark about the main parties’ positions on Brexit, with around half saying the three main parties’ stances are unclear.
The BMG Research poll for Left Foot Forward found that just 28% of voters think Labour’s Brexit stance is clear (to 54% who think it is not very clear/not clear at all).
37% of current Labour voters say Labour’s stance is somewhat or very unclear (to 53% against).
However, the picture is not much better for the Conservatives – 36% of the public believe their stance on Brexit is clear, while 46% believe their position is not very clear or not clear at all. 65% of current Tory voters believe their stance is somewhat/very clear (to 28% against).
When ‘Don’t Knows’ are excluded, a majority believe the Tories’ stance is unclear – 56%.
Perhaps most surprisingly though, only 26% of voters appear to know the Liberal Democrats’ stance on Brexit, with 27% believing it is not very clear and 21% not clear at all.
58% of current Lib Dems believe their position is clear, to 31% who disagree, while 26% responded ‘Don’t Know’ when asked about the Lib Dems’ stance – higher than Labour and the Conservatives’ 18%. When ‘Don’t Knows’ are stripped out, 65% of voters say the Lib Dems’ stance on Brexit is unclear.
It suggests the party’s messages on the Single Market/Customs Union and a second referendum are struggling to be heard.
When ‘Don’t Knows’ are excluded, two thirds (66%) of people believe Labour’s position is unclear (to 34% who believe it’s clear), 65% say the Lib Dems’ stance on Brexit is unclear, while 56% believe the Tories’ stance is unclear.
Josiah Mortimer, Editor of Left Foot Forward, said:
“Voters are in the dark when it comes to the big three parties’ views on Brexit.
“While Labour have come under fire in recent weeks for lacking clarity on Brexit, it seems the other parties are faring little better, with a majority of those with a view believing the Tories’ and Lib Dems’ stances on the issue.
“This poll suggests parties need to get their messages straight when it comes to our departure from the EU. Leaders are understandably fudging the issue in the face of the negotiations – but sooner or later Labour and the Conservatives will need to open up to the public.
“That’s a tough one for Labour in the face of growing calls to back staying in the Single Market and Customs Union – and for the Tories trying to negotiate a deal while hardline Brexiteers push for recklessly severing all ties.
“Voters are going to get restless at some point. It’s anyone’s guess where that frustration might go.”
BMG Research interviewed a representative sample of 1,513 UK adults online between 9th & 12th January. Data are weighted. BMG are members of the British Polling Council and abide by their rules.
The questions asked was: ‘In your view, how clear or unclear do you think each of the following parties are with respect to their Brexit stance/policies?’ – with options for Labour, Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats.
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2 Responses to “EXCLUSIVE: Main parties’ positions on Brexit unclear, say voters”
Martyn Wood-Bevan
When most of the MSM and the right-wing Neoliberals in the Labour Party conspire to make Labour’s Brexit policy sound unclear it is no surprise. IT IS VERY CLEAR!!!!!!! Trying to bring the 52% and 48% together by having a workable Brexit, with things kept on the table until such time as the Party is in Govt. is sensible and rational. People are split between Leave and Remain and see things in a simplistic Binary way. Given the latest LSE research the Brexit is only likely to affect the UK Economy by less than 2% initially and have a negligible affect by 2030. Given that 68% of constituencies in England, N. Ireland and Wales voted Leave it would be foolhardy to back staying in the EU at this stage. This is a simplistic article about a complex issue and many people are too binary in their views, which are muddied by the right-wing MSM deliberately.
Jimmy glesga
The question was clear and the people voted to leave and not much complicated about that. You remoaners must be gutted that the working classes have had the audacity to end the British part in the gravy train. Arise the workers of Europe and get rid of the pariahs.