Can we call this the will of the people, then? New polling from JL Partners this week reveals how the majority of the British public feel about the UK’s next big trade deal, with more than double the amount of those surveyed prioritising the EU over the US.
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The research, carried out on behalf of and published by iNews, will serve as a stark reminder to the Labour government that pursuing closer ties with the EU after Brexit very has the public’s backing. Keir Starmer has, in recent weeks, been accused of ‘going too slow’ in the reset.
Rather than reversing Brexit, the Labour government has committed to pursuing individual deals with each independent nation. Security pacts with Germany have been ironed out, and mobility schemes in conjunction with Spain have also been proposed.
However, Donald Trump’s victory in the US Election earlier this month has posed an existential question to the current administration. Now in Brexit limbo, the PM may have two paths available to him: Agree to a free trade deal with the US, or realign further with the EU.
Given the somewhat frosty relations between Team Trump and Labour, this seismic change in the political landscape may force Starmer’s hand. And, should he decide to accelerate talks with the European Union, it may prove to be one of his more popular decisions in office.
As per the JL Partners poll, 58% of the 2,024 people questioned said that trade with Europe ‘is the most important market’, with only 27% saying that the US should be treated as the prominent partner. The remaining 15% remained on the fence.
The same survey also saw 51% of participants brand the EU as their preferred alignment for foreign policy, and 56% see the EU as ‘better for the UK economically’ than the US. Perhaps some of those Brexit red lines are now dulling down?
