Just a third of voters believe Boris Johnson should crash the UK out of the EU without a deal if he cannot reach an agreement with Brussels over the next three weeks, a poll has revealed. And voters are turning against no deal as the Halloween deadline approaches, the BMG Research survey for The Independent suggests.
The prime minister insists he will take Britain out of the EU on the scheduled Brexit date of 31 October, with or without a deal. But only 34 per cent of those questioned back a no-deal departure in these circumstances, compared to a total of 51 per cent who said Mr Johnson should extend negotiations, call a second referendum or call Brexit off – all options which he has ruled out.
And the poll suggested that voters believe Mr Johnson should comply with legislation requiring him to ask Brussels to delay Brexit until the end of January if he fails to secure a deal with parliamentary support by 19 October.
Despite apparent opposition to the PM’s central Brexit policy, Conservatives retained their lead in the BMG poll on 31 per cent (unchanged since a similar survey last month), against Labour’s 26 per cent (down one), with Liberal Democrats on 20 (up one) and the Brexit Party on 11 (down two).
The survey of more than 1,500 voters between 1 and 4 October found 53 per cent of those expressing an opinion want the UK to Remain in the EU and 47 per cent to Leave.
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-no-deal-deadline-boris-johnson-eu-poll-voters-a9146196.html