Goodbye European Union Citizenship?

The JGFR Autumn Brexit 2019 report highlights findings from consumer research over the past 6 months reflecting the mood of the country as Brexit day approaches. The report considers the key issues of confidence, economic sentiment, financial well-being, feel-good, health, the relationship with Europe and the attitude towards leaving.
Key findings include:

• Confidence, both consumer & business is depressed
• Very weak September / Q3 economic data points to low / no growth in the coming months
• Compared to the other EU28 member states the UK is adrift at the foot of the European Commission’s Economic Sentiment Index in September
• Financial Wellbeing in the UK is holding up well buoyed by high employment but the forward looking Feel Good Index is close to multi-year lows with the public very pessimistic
• As a result a large proportion of the public agree the health of the nation is at risk from Brexit (64%) with over a half of the population (56%) wishing Brexit had never happened
• Trust and confidence in the EU among EU member states is at its highest since 2009. While the UK is among the most euro-sceptic member nevertheless over a half of adults regard themselves as EU citizens and nearly 70% regard the Single Market as the EU’s greatest achievement
• A large minority of people (35% v 39%) believe that leaving the UK will lead to the break-up of the UK, while more adults (44% v 34%) believe that Britain will suffer a loss of influence in the world outside of the EU
• Brexit is a battle between politics and economics with the public believing that the will of the public must be respected (54% v 27%) but that they / their families will be better off inside the EU (45% v 30%)
• Slightly more adults (43%) are in favour of a Peoples Vote than against one (39%) which will provide the 4-5 million adults who regret not voting in the 2016 referendum with a chance to vote. 76% of the public indicate they would vote in a second referendum.
• As Brexit is about a younger generation’s future there is public support (46% v 39%) for the Referendum vote to be extended to the estimated 700,000 16-17 year olds
• Attitudes towards Brexit have become entrenched (out or in) since the Brexit vote with little real understanding of the nuances of shades of Brexit. Slowly more people believe the original vote was wrong but the gap is not wide (around 48-42 in favour of remain).
• Should Brexit take place Global Britain’s success will depend on the attitudes and job prospects for the UK workforce post Brexit, especially among the young. Whether a referendum or general election comes first it will become a workers first Brexit debate

Please download the full report via the button in the top right corner to view the findings.