Almost half of Brits worry Farage-Trump ties undermine UK national interests

Voters want closer ties with EU and are worried about Farage’s ‘close’ relationship with Trump, a new Savanta poll has found

Nigel Farage

A new Savanta poll, commissioned by the Liberal Democrats, has found that nearly half of voters (47%) are concerned that Nigel Farage’s close ties with Mr Trump risk undermining the UK’s national interests.

The poll of 2205 people also found that 56% are worried about the impact of a Trump presidency on the UK’s security and economy. 

When it came to voting intention, just over 40% of Conservative voters said Farage’s close ties to Trump were concerning, while the figure rose to 61% among Labour voters, 62% among Lib Dems and 56% among Green voters.  

Regarding the impact of Trump’s presidency on the UK’s security and economy, 57% of Conservative voters in the last election expressed concern, compared to 67% of Labour voters and 71% of Liberal Democrats.

Over half of voters (52%) said that given Trump’s election, they believe the UK should build closer economic and security ties with Europe.

A recent poll conducted by Savanta on behalf of Left Foot Forward found that 46% of voters want closer ties to the EU, compared to 16% who want looser ties.

That figure was higher among Labour voters at last year’s general election, 64% of whom said the UK should build closer “economic and security ties with Europe”, given Trump’s return to the White House today. 

Calum Miller, Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs Spokesperson, said: “We all know what Donald Trump’s leadership looked like last time: inconstant, unreliable, occasionally menacing. 

“It’s no wonder voters are worried about how he’ll impact our national security – not to mention their pockets.

“A clear majority of the people who put Labour in power want action to support our economy and security in the wake of Trump, and that means forging closer ties with Europe. 

“Keir Starmer must listen to them and accelerate talks with Europe. The Liberal Democrats will continue to push urgently for a stronger UK-EU relationship, including a brand-new Customs Union deal to cut red tape and boost British businesses.”

Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward

Comments are closed.