Brexit has made everything from economy to immigration worse in Britain, new poll reveals

The UK’s disillusioned Gen Z are losing faith in democracy, survey finds

British voters believe Brexit has made things worse in the UK, from the economy to immigration, and left the nation with even less control over its own destiny, according to a major new poll.

The findings, which also revealed that European voters would welcome us back with open arms if we applied to rejoin the EU, are likely to pile further pressure on Sir Keir Starmer to rebuild ties with the EU 10 years after Britain voted to leave in a referendum.

The survey, involving 20,000 people from more than 27 leading democracies, including the US and Europe, suggests that Britons are the most pessimistic about their nation’s future. And the UK’s disillusioned Gen Z are losing faith in democracy.

They are more than twice as likely as so-called baby boomers – those aged 61 to 79 – to opt for an authoritarian leader who rules without elections.

Some of the most striking findings of the poll carried out by Yonder Data Solutions, formerly known as Populus, on behalf of public relations giant FGS Global, relate to Brexit.

Voters in the UK are deeply dissatisfied with the way it has worked out. The main rallying cry of leading Brexiteers such as Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage was that it would enable the UK to “take back control”.

However, 72 per cent of British voters said we now have less, not more, control over our affairs than before. Only 15 per cent believe the slogan has lived up to its promise.

Two in three (66 per cent) said Brexit has hurt the economy; barely one in five (22 per cent) said it has had a positive impact.

During the Brexit referendum, supporters of staying in the EU who warned of severe consequences if Britain left were accused of running a “Project Fear” campaign of bogus claims. The survey found that most voters now believe the grim forecasts were right.

Starmer has so far resisted calls to return to the Customs Union, despite seeking closer ties with the EU (Simon Dawson/No 10 Downing Street)

A total of 55 per cent said the warnings have turned out to be true; 23 per cent said they have not.

Furthermore, some people believe they were misled by Brexiteer claims that cutting links with Brussels would solve the immigration crisis.

Only 22 per cent of Britons said it has given us greater power over our borders; 66 per cent said it has not achieved this. Meanwhile, voters in the EU think Britain’s departure has made things worse for them too.

Fewer than one in five (19 per cent) of European voters said the EU is better off without the UK; one in two (50 per cent) said it is not better off.

A clear majority of Europeans (66 per cent) would like Britain to rejoin the EU fold, while only 16 per cent do not want the UK back in.

Despite believing the EU is weaker without Britain, European voters think that the adverse effects of Brexit on the UK have made it less likely that other countries will leave.

A total of 59 per cent said Brexit has shown that exiting the EU is a mistake; 24 per cent said it has not shown this.

Despite the gloom among UK voters over the impact of Brexit, the poll suggests the British public is conflicted about whether to take the dramatic step of rejoining the EU. In the 2016 referendum, the decision to leave was approved by a slim 52 per cent to 48 per cent margin.

Asked in the FGS Global poll if Britain should rejoin, one in two (50 per cent) said it should do; 38 per cent said it should not. On the surface, that would lend weight to claims by pro-Europeans that the referendum could be reversed.

However, the survey appears to reinforce the theory that the result can be influenced by the way the question is asked.

When asked separately if the UK should not rejoin, a different picture emerges: 49 per cent said they agree with this view; 36 per cent disagree.

The survey also paints a stark picture of Britons’ broader hopes and fears for the coming year – and their worries about the country’s future.

Only 14 per cent think Britain’s “best years are ahead of us” – lower than voters in any other major nation that took part in the poll – while 67 per cent said the UK’s “best years are behind us”. Similarly, 73 per cent of people in Britain said the country is “going in the wrong direction”.

Almost half of people asked agree that the UK should not rejoin the EU (PA)

Asked if “life will be better for the next generation”, only one in 10 agreed with this view, the lowest in the survey; 77 per cent said it will not be better. UK voters also appear to be losing faith in their ability to use elections to make things better – and more markedly than in other countries, with young Britons the most disaffected.

More than one in four people in the UK (27 per cent) said voting “makes no difference” to their lives – the highest in the survey – while 65 per cent disagree.

The poll provides further evidence of the trend favouring so-called “strong man leaders” instead of conventional democratically elected ones.

A total of 12 per cent of Britons said they favour “authoritarian leaders who do not bother with elections”; 79 per cent said they back democratically elected leaders. And the trend shows a marked divide between young and old.

Among the UK’s Gen Z, a total of 18 per cent favour authoritarian leaders; 72 per cent prefer democracy. By contrast, only seven per cent of British baby boomers support authoritarian leaders; an overwhelming 87 per cent side with democracy.

The survey found voters across the free world believe democracy is facing a systemic crisis.

A total of 69 per cent think democracy is weakening. Most people – 74 per cent – believe the current system serves “a rich and powerful elite” over ordinary working people. More than two in three (69 per cent) believe “strong leaders increasingly have more power than international institutions”.

A total of 19,787 people took part in the FS Global poll, including 2,022 people in the UK and 11,714 in the EU