YouGov survey suggests majority support idea of Britain returning to bloc – but not on same terms it once enjoyed

A decade after MPs voted to hold the referendum that led to Britain leaving the European Union, a poll has found majorities in the bloc’s four largest member states would support the UK rejoining – but not on the same terms it had before.

The YouGov survey of six western European countries, including the UK, also confirms that a clear majority of British voters now back the country rejoining the bloc – but only if it can keep the opt-outs it previously enjoyed.

Asked whether Britain should be allowed back in on the same conditions it enjoyed when it left, including not having to adopt the euro currency and remaining outside the Schengen passport-free zone, the numbers changed significantly.

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[–] 37 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Haha, yeah but no Pounds. All Euros.

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  • [–] 101 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (25 children)

    Well yeah. I support them joining. But.....

    The idiots left of their own volition. No more handouts and special privileges. Join as any other nation and follow the same fucking rules. You left on a high horse and came crawling back. You could not appreciate your special deal so you are not worthy of getting another one. Just like any other nation now.

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  • [–] 35 points 1 year ago (3 children)

    I'm a Brit and I endorse this message. I want us back in, I want us to accept the Euro and Schengen Area, I want us to have to do as we're told once we're in. We need knocking down another peg or two

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  • [–] 35 points 1 year ago (14 children)

    As a uk resident i agree, but dont forget the vote eas win by only 2% and a lot of us didnt want to leave

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  • [–] 25 points 1 year ago (5 children)

    I know. I was baffled that they actually went for it with such a split vote.

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  • [–] 27 points 1 year ago (4 children)

    Many people that voted for it were sold on the lie that the money saved would go towards the NHS but that never happened because it was never actually about helping the British people.

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  • [–] 20 points 1 year ago (6 children)

    I don't understand how any country can leave such a decision to a simple majority vote. For me either joinning or leaving should pend on a 2/3 voting.

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  • [–] 12 points 1 year ago (1 child)

    Because they thought not much people would vote for it and it certainly would not get a majority. The aim was for a sizable minority to use for political manoeuvering. Actual winning and having plans for that was inconceivable. But they've seriously misread the people's sentiment.

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago

    I totally get that, and that a lot of them are dead now because of COVID and age. Still, it's not the citizens that have privileges, it's the country, and the majority decided out.

    Y'all being on equal footing with other new members shouldn't be seen as punishment, it would be incredibly unfair to other new members if y'all got privileges when joining back. Those other countries also have people that wants to join as much as yours did that didn't want to leave.

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  • [–] 17 points 1 year ago (3 children)

    Yep. Rejoin and the British Pound dies. No special deals this time.

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    [–] 31 points 1 year ago

    Most people in France, Germany, Italy and Spain would support UK rejoining EU, poll finds

    Sure, but as an equal member, without special treatment, which won't please current UK.

    Asked whether Britain should be allowed back in on the same conditions it enjoyed when it left, including not having to adopt the euro currency and remaining outside the Schengen passport-free zone, the numbers changed significantly.

    Only one-fifth of respondents across the four biggest EU members, from 19% in Italy and France to 21% in Spain and 22% in Germany, felt the UK should be allowed return as if it had never left, with 58-62% saying it must be part of all main EU policy areas.

    In the UK, while 54% of Britons supported rejoining the EU when asked the question in isolation, the figure fell to just 36% if rejoining meant giving up previous opt-outs. On those terms, 45% of Britons opposed renewed membership.

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  • [–] 50 points 1 year ago (5 children)

    I would support them joining. But of course no fucking tantrums will be tolerated. You will abide by the same rules as everyone else.

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  • [–] 24 points 1 year ago (4 children)

    Yup, adopting the Euro as currency would be my first condition. They threw a lot of privilege and bargaining power away out of pride, so that pride should be injured as much as possible (but without emiserating the common people).

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago (2 children)

    I was very strongly against us leaving, and I would love the UK to rejoin, but give up the pound? That is absolutely not happening.

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  • [–] 19 points 1 year ago*

    We'll only rejoin if it makes the rich people who live here a lot of money, and that would have to be as soon as possible after that happens.

    Otherwise, picture a child sitting, pouting and petulant, arms folded tight, on a stool in a corner saying "no!"

    There's a vague possibility of long-term gains turning their heads as well, but the armchair physicist and psychologist in me thinks that the gain would need to be proportional to the square of time in order get through their greedy little brains.

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  • [–] 11 points 1 year ago

    I'm here for rEUnion

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  • [–] 8 points 1 year ago

    I too want them back, BUT not with the shit they are doing rn and with their special Deals

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  • [–] 8 points 1 year ago

    How would the EU/UK combat disinformation though? It's way too easy to blame any change in social conditions on the EU.

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  • [–] 21 points 1 year ago (8 children)

    The UK didn't have a referendum to join the EU originally so I really don't get why they had one to decide if they should leave. That referendum was bought and manipulated by the Russians I'm sure.

    I would love the UK to rejoin the EU. They will probably want to keep the pound which will most likely be the main sticking point, but everything else including being part of the Schengen region should be non negotiable.

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  • [–] 6 points 1 year ago

    I mean, Sweden is also forced to join the Eurozone, but they keep postponing it thanks to a loophole. The UK could just pretend to accept it and then do as Sweden is doing (for the time being).

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  • [+] -21 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (7 children)
  • [–] 8 points 1 year ago*

    Fuck off with this misinformation.

    If the EU was as conformist / homo-cultural as you suggest, the cultural identity of constituent states would have long since disappeared.

    Go tell someone in Florence or Sicily that, because they have been in EU since 1950, they are no longer Italian (or that they are somehow now culturally equivalent to a Dubliner). See how that works out for you.

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago*

    one has to reject the fact, because one cannot reject reality.

    Facts are based on reality, you cannot reject facts without rejecting reality. The stupidity of the above is mind blowing. 🤣🤣🤣

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    [–] 6 points 1 year ago (1 child)
  • [–] 6 points 1 year ago

    Give back the north of Ireland, let Schotland become independant and join the EU. Problem solved.

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  • [–] 9 points 1 year ago (2 children)

    The shithole that outlawed peaceful protest and considers supporting Palestine a terroristic threat? Nothankyou

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  • [–] 4 points 1 year ago (1 child)

    We need them in the fucking fold. They have nukes, they still wield tremendous power. Isolating them will only make them more radicalized.

    With them in the EU we at least have some control and influence over their fucking slipping.

    When a family member goes off the rails, you don't abandon them, you try to bring them back to sanity.

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

    Yeah, they can come back. As peers

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago

    The UK made their bed, now lie in it. Former empire of old that has never done reparations. Now sucking up to Trump. Nice one Brits. 🙄

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  • 6 comments in c/Europe@europe.pub view that post
    [–] 7 points 1 year ago

    Come back as a normal member, Euro and all. no more hemming and hawing.

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  • [–] 3 points 1 year ago*

    I have friends and relatives in all those countries.

    Not posible this poll is right without a severe cook in the numbers or the questions....

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago

    I'm happy they'd support us coming back, sadly our government has no interest in it, especially given we wouldn't get special treatment this time, even if it'd be worth it regardless.

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  • [–] -3 points 1 year ago (1 child)

    Democratic views of other countries but not it's own. People voted and you can hardly pretend it didn't happen.

    Whether you like it or not, it happened and best you can hope for is a Norway style model.

    We can of course be allies, but democracy in these days is worth fighting for.

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