This stance is held across all voting groups

Key takeaways

  • If the government negotiated a deal to rejoin the EU, 64% of Britons say there should be a referendum before deciding to rejoin; 23% say the government should be able to make the decision without a referendum
  • Holding a referendum is the preferred approach among all voting groups, as well as those who would vote to rejoin the EU in such a referendum (54%)
  • In the event of a referendum, 52% of Britons would vote to rejoin the EU, while 27% would vote to remain out of the bloc
  • 22% of 2016 Leave voters would now vote to rejoin the EU

There has been mounting speculation that Andy Burnham could set the UK on a path to rejoin the European Union, with the new prime minister pledging in his Labour conference speech to explore closer ties with the bloc. When asked in a BBC interview about including an in-out referendum in a future Labour manifesto, Burnham said “Yes, things are possible. I think where we are isn’t good enough”.

Given that YouGov data has repeatedly shown that the British public support rejoining the EU, is a second referendum a necessary part of that process?

Now our new poll for The Times shows that the public seem to think that it is. In the event that the UK government negotiated a deal to rejoin the EU, 64% of Britons say there should be a referendum before deciding to rejoin, compared to only 23% who say the government should be able to make the decision without a referendum.

A second referendum is the preferred option across all voting and social groups. This includes 54% of those who say they would vote to rejoin the EU in a hypothetical rejoin referendum (see more below) and 95% of those who would vote to remain outside the bloc.

The majority of Remain voters (54%) would opt for a second referendum over the government unilaterally bringing the country back into the EU, as would 60% of Green voters, 59% of Labour voters and 50% of Lib Dems. This figure rises to 80% of Tories, 82% of Leave voters, and 88% of Reform UK voters.

Rejoin holds a commanding lead in the event of a referendum

Our survey also asked how Britons would vote in the event of a rejoin referendum. Half (52%) say they would vote to re-enter the EU, far ahead of the 27% who say they would vote to remain outside the bloc. One in seven (15%) are currently unsure, while 7% say they would not vote.

More than seven in ten 2024 Labour, Lib Dem and Green voters would vote to rejoin (73-79%), as would 28% of Tories and 9% of Reform UK voters. One in five Leave voters (22%) would likewise reverse their 2016 stance.

See the full results here

Methodology

  • Sample size: An online survey of 2,312 adults aged 18+ in Great Britain
  • Fieldwork: 4-5 October 2026
  • Commissioned by: The Times

Click here for more information about how we carry out research

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