Majority of UK Gen Z back EU rejoin in new polling

Exclusive polling conducted by the thinktank More in Common indicates that 60 per cent of British citizens aged 18 to 28 would vote to rejoin the European Union if presented with the opportunity. The survey of 440 young people reveals a significant shift in sentiment compared to the 2016 referendum, with half of the respondents viewing Brexit as a failure and only 16 per cent regarding it as a success.

Support for a second referendum is most pronounced among the youngest adults. Among those aged 18 to 21, who were children between the ages of six and nine during the original vote, 53 per cent classify Brexit as a failure. This sentiment softens slightly among those aged 25 to 28, yet remains negative at 48 per cent failure to 20 per cent success. When filtering for those likely to vote in a hypothetical second ballot, the pro-EU camp would secure 81 per cent of the vote against 19 per cent for remaining outside.

Luke Tryl, executive director of More in Common, described the Brexit referendum as a formative political event for this generation. While focus groups suggest young voters are hesitant to return to the "endless Brexit debates" of their youth, preferring to prioritise issues such as the cost of living, housing, jobs, and climate change, there is a clear desire for a fresh vote. Sixty-two per cent of young Britons believe there should be a referendum on rejoining the EU within the next five years.

The polling data arrives amidst broader analysis of demographic shifts in the UK electorate. Pollster Peter Kellner and Financial Times calculations based on Office for National Statistics data suggest that the pro-Brexit majority present in 2016 has effectively vanished. With approximately 15 per cent of original Leave voters having died since the referendum, compared to 10 per cent of Remain voters, and six million new young voters entering the rolls, the political landscape has fundamentally altered.

Opinions on the root cause of Brexit’s perceived failure are divided among young voters. Thirty-seven per cent believe the project could have worked but was ruined by poor political handling, while 29 per cent argue it was flawed from the start. Only 11 per cent maintain that Brexit has worked well so far. The data underscores a generational disconnect, with the current cohort largely excluded from the 2016 decision but now holding significant influence over future policy directions.