British public shows ‘few signs of regret’ over Brexit – polling expert

21 Sep, 2016 16:01 / Updated 8 years ago

A polling expert has dismissed claims Brits are experiencing ‘buyers’ remorse’ over Brexit, insisting most people in the country do not regret voting to leave the European Union.

Professor John Curtice believes that reports stating people in Britain are regretting voting for Brexit are just “wishful thinking” on the part of resentful Remain voters.

The president of the British Polling Council added there is no public appetite for a second EU referendum.

Very few minds have been changed - there are very few signs of regret," Curtice told the Mirror.

He said that a series of polls through the summer show 52 percent of Brits still support Brexit – the same margin of victory as in the referendum.

On the polling evidence it is wishful thinking," he said. “It is people assuming that others share the regret that they themselves feel.”

"Remainers tend to live in places where there are other Remainers - and they will doubtless find that perception is reinforced."

Curtice said polling indicates only a third of voters support calls from Labour leadership candidate Owen Smith and Lib Dem leader Tim Farron for a second EU referendum.

With Brexit negotiations looming on the horizon, immigration and EU payments remain a major political issue.

Some 79 percent of the public want Brexit to involve an end to free movement of people from Europe and 81 percent insist the UK end payments to the EU budget.

It's a sovereignty issue," he told the Mirror.

"Most people do not feel European in this country. And so there is an argument about the legitimacy of this £350million that we don't 'control', that the EU decides how is spent.”