Advertisement

More than 100 seats which backed Brexit have switched to support staying in the EU, says poll

Ross McGuinness
A poll says Britons have changed their mind about Brexit (Picture: PA)
A poll says Britons have changed their mind about Brexit (Picture: PA)

More than 100 Westminster constituencies which backed Leave in the 2016 referendum would now vote to remain in the European Union, a poll says.

The findings suggested that most seats in England, Scotland and Wales now contain a majority of voters who want to stay in the EU.

The data found that 112 out of the 632 seats in England, Scotland and Wales had switched from Leave to Remain since the referendum.

Among constituencies found to have switched from Leave to Remain were Brexiteers Boris Johnson’s Uxbridge and South Ruislip and Michael Gove’s Surrey Heath.

The constituencies of Brexiteers Michael Gove and Boris Johnson have changed their minds, research says (Picture: PA)
The constituencies of Brexiteers Michael Gove and Boris Johnson have changed their minds, research says (Picture: PA)

The seats of pro-Brexit Labour MPs Frank Field in Birkenhead and Graham Stringer in Blackley and Broughton also switched.

The findings will increase pressure on Jeremy Corbyn to reconsider Labour’s refusal to give its backing to a second referendum on EU membership.

Even though polls regularly report a strong lead for Remain among Labour voters, a majority of the party’s constituencies backed Brexit in 2016, leaving party strategists wary of any suggestion that it might not deliver withdrawal.

MOST POPULAR ON YAHOO NEWS UK

Homelessness charities say Government’s plan to end rough sleeping within 10 years isn’t ‘total fix’
‘Strictly Come Dancing’ 2018 line-up: Katie Piper confirmed
More than half of people think Boris Johnson shouldn’t be disciplined over burka comments
A shooting star performance: Perseid meteor shower lights up the sky with spectacular displays
Heathrow Airport passport queues reach two and a half hours in July, figures reveal

The figures were produced by consumer analytics company Focaldata, drawing on two YouGov polls of a total of more than 15,000 people.

The 112 seats that switched included 97 English seats, 14 in Wales and one in Scotland.

Under the Focaldata model, 341 constituencies now have a Remain majority, up from 229 in 2016.

The analysis, conducted for the Best for Britain campaign for a second referendum and the Hope Not Hate campaign against racism, puts Remain on 53% support, against 47% backing Leave.

Fewer people would vote leave two years after the EU referendum, a poll says (Picture: PA)
Fewer people would vote leave two years after the EU referendum, a poll says (Picture: PA)

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable, said: “Whether someone voted to leave or stay in the EU in 2016, nearly everyone is disillusioned by the mess the Conservatives have made of Brexit.

“This research is yet more compelling evidence that the British people must be given the final say on any – or no – Brexit deal. The shallow argument against giving the people their say diminishes towards nothingness with every passing day.”

Sir Vince said opponents of Brexit must work together “as a team” across party divides in the drive for a second EU referendum.

The Lib Dem leader said it was clear the “centre of gravity” on Brexit is shifting in favour of a national poll on the final deal.


Sir Vince told the rally that since the 52%-48% victory for Leave in 2016, “the situation has changed, the facts have changed”.

“We were all told the British government was going to save vast amounts of money,” he said. “We now know that’s not the case: there’s the £40 billion divorce settlement, the economy’s slowing down, there’s less money for the NHS.

Conservative MP for Totnes Sarah Wollaston said: “To proceed with Brexit without a People’s Vote would be like a surgeon carrying out an amputation having sought their patient’s consent two years beforehand without either of them knowing whether they were going to lose a few toes or their whole leg.

“Informed consent to Brexit can only happen once people know the final deal – if any – and have clear information about the risks as well as any benefits.”

Pro-Brexit Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg played down the significance of polls showing a shift of opinion to Remain.

“Most of the polls said people would vote to remain in the EU in 2016, but when people got to the ballot booth they voted to leave,” he told Sky News.

“The votes that matter are the votes cast in genuine elections. Opinion polls come up with a whole range of answers and they differ from day to day, but elections themselves are authoritative.”