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Britain and Europe: How close should we get?

With fresh talks on UK-EU relations approaching, new research from British Future finds that people see Brexit as a failure and want closer EU ties. But voters are undecided about what comes next, with uncertainty about the idea of another referendum, or a return to free movement.

The research finds public support for a youth mobility scheme, and a majority who want the Prime Minister to pursue a closer relationship with Europe than Labour’s ‘Red Lines’ allow.

The report, Britain and Europe: How close should we get?  Public opinion and the choices facing a new government, draws on a nationally representative survey of 3,007 UK adults and focus groups across England and Wales.

It identifies five distinct public “tribes” on Europe, from the 22% who are “All In” on rejoining to the 19% who remain “Firmly Out”. The largest group, making up more than four in ten of the public, sit in a moveable middle: open to closer cooperation but unpersuaded on the terms.

It also includes detailed sections on public attitudes to freedom of movement, and on UK-EU cooperation on asylum.

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