More people than ever think Brexit was a bad idea, poll shows

More people than ever think the UK was wrong to leave the EU, polling suggests.

YouGov’s latest Brexit tracker shows that as of Wednesday and Thursday last week, 51% of Brits thought the UK was wrong to leave: the highest ever proportion recorded by the polling company. It compared to 38% who said Britain was right to leave.

The 13% real-time gap between Brexit opponents and supporters is also the biggest since YouGov began asking the question – “In hindsight, do you think Britain was right or wrong to vote to leave the European Union?” – four years ago.

At that point, in August 2016, 42% opposed Brexit, with 46% supporting it.

Watch: 44 days until the end of the transition period

In six weeks’ time, the UK’s “transition period” – in which it has effectively remained a member of the EU since Brexit happened on 31 January – will end.

On Tuesday, Boris Johnson warned it is “far from certain” that Britain will manage to get a post-Brexit trade deal with Brussels in time for the end of the year, when the transition period expires.

The prime minister briefed the cabinet on the latest negotiations, telling ministers that time was now “very short”.

Talks have been continuing this week in Brussels between the EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier and his UK counterpart David Frost.

Read more: England's coronavirus lockdown will end on 2 December, government insists

With hopes of a breakthrough this week receding, it is unclear whether the two sides will be prepared to carry on talking into next week if there is still no agreement.

The PM told the cabinet that while he remained “keen” to get an agreement he would not compromise on the UK’s “core principles”.

He said there were still “significant issues” to be resolved, most notably on future fishing rights and the so-called “level playing field” rules on state aid.

Watch: UK communities see uncertain future amid ‘deadlocked’ Brexit talks