Brexit blues on the rise as 53 per cent expect bad economic year

 

Public mood on Brexit’s economic impact is souring, a new poll reveals, as Brexit Secretary David Davis takes questions this morning from MPs.

Worse economy

Ipsos Mori found 53 per cent of respondents said they expect the economy will get worse over the next year – up 16 points from 37 per cent in September.

Twenty-four per cent said the economy will improve, while 17 per cent said it would stay the same.

 

Brexit pound dive

More than half (55 per cent) said they believe the weak pound – currently at 30-year low – is a bad thing for Britain, compared to 14 per cent who say it is a good thing, and 26 per cent who say it will make no difference.

 

Living standards

Meanwhile, people are increasingly worried about the negative impact of Brexit on their standard of living.

Half (49 per cent) believe their own standard of living will be worse thanks to Britain’s vote to leave the EU – up 13 points from 36 per cent in July.

 

A quarter (24 per cent) expect things will improve for them, up three points from 21 per cent in July, and up six points from 18 per cent in May, before the vote. Another quarter say their standard of living will not change.

Remain voters and young people tend to be more worried, while two in three (64 per cent) of those with a degree are concerned, compared to just a third (32 per cent) without a qualification.

Gideon Skinner, Head of Political Research at Ipsos MORI, said:

“Economic optimism had been recovering after the shock of Brexit, but this research shows that a fall in the value of the pound will still concern the public.”