EU referendum: Support for Britain's EU membership reaches all-time high

YouGov survey finds 45% of Britons would vote to stay in the EU

Support for Britain's EU membership is higher than it has ever been, according to a new poll.

YouGov has found that a record-breaking 45 per cent would vote to keep Britain in the EU if a referendum were held today, up from 42 per cent last month.

Anti-EU sentiment has fallen three to 35 per cent, its lowest point since the polling on the topic began in September 2010.

Less than three years ago, at the height of the Eurozone crisis, the UK appeared to be headed towards an eventual EU exit, with just 28 per cent supporting the beleaguered body and more than half of the country wanting out.

Prime Minister David Cameron announced in January 2013 that the Conservative Party would hold an 'in' or 'out' referendum of Britain's EU membership if it wins the general election.

The groundswell of public support for the EU since then has coincided with an improving economic situation, with YouGov reporting that the trajectory of pro-EU sentiment has almost exactly mirrored that of economic optimism.

In a blog post, YouGov suggested one possible explanation for the rising number of EU 'in' votes is that "voters have become less interested in disrupting the status quo as they have increasingly felt its rewards".

New heights of EU approval have been reached as the Eurosceptic political party Ukip has witnessed its years-long surge in popularity slow down.

Another recent YouGov poll found flagging support for Ukip, down to around 14 per cent from an all-time high of 19 in October last year.

An increasing number of Ukip voters are fearful that the party will not be a long-term force, though that may change as leader Nigel Farage reasserts himself in the national debate after weeks campaigning quietly in South Thanet where he will stand for Parliament in May.

A recent Comres poll for the Daily Mail also found Ukip struggling, slipping four points to 13 per cent, its lowest point since early 2014.