OPINION: Brexit Now: Are Leave Voters Still Firmly in the ‘Leave’ Camp?

Brexit Day is less than six months away and Britons are growing ever-nervous of what this change will mean for them.

The 23rd of June, 2016, was a day that changed the United Kingdom (UK) forever. On that day, citizens across the UK and Gibraltar went to the polls to vote on whether or not they wanted to remain a part of the European Union (EU) or leave. The EU referendum poll results revealed that 51.9% voted to leave. From that point, Brexit graduated from being an idea into Britain’s new impending reality.

The official EU withdrawal process began on the 29th of March, 2017, putting the UK on track to leave the European Union by the 30th of March, 2019. However, with less than a year left until the big goodbye, and increasing worries of a no-deal Brexit, a growing number of Leave supporters are wishing they could turn back time and change their vote.

Brexit is losing its Leave supporters

Over 17 million Brits voted to leave the EU during the EU referendum and now, according to the findings of a major study, 2.6 million Leave voters have abandoned their support for Brexit and wish to remain in the EU.

The recently published study, carried out by data analysis experts Focaldata for Best for Britain (a pro-EU campaign group), was based on two YouGov polls that, combined, surveyed over 15,000 people.

In total, the study concluded that 2.6 million Leave voters have changed their tune and switched to being pro EU. Meanwhile, 970,000 have switched from wanting to stay to leaving. What this means is the total net gain for those who wish to stay in the EU is 1.6 million.

This might not sound like much, but if all those people who have now switched sides had voted with their new view of Brexit during the referendum, the Remain vote would have won by a notable margin.

This data, along with the recent People’s Vote march (where 700,000 rallied in central London for a new Brexit referendum) will no doubt add to the ongoing debate about whether the UK should hold a new referendum.

Many Brits have no idea what Brexit will mean for them 

Researchers form King’s College London have found that a majority of EU Referendum voters (42%) still believe the controversial message displayed on Boris Johnson’s Leave Campaign Bus, which read “we send the EU £350m a week - let’s fund our NHS instead.” Even though the message has been proven false, this has had little impact on those who believe in the numbers.

Still, in spite of believing in myths, many Leave voters are now panicking about the upcoming Brexit Day, realizing that they don’t know what the true impact of leaving the EU will mean for them or their country. Some Brits are also losing faith in Leave Campaign promises, and if you’re one of them as Luisa Zissman’s Brexit talk with OJO reveals, you’re not alone.

According to the retail entrepreneur and reality TV celebrity - who recently teamed up with online casino and fair advocate PlayOJO, and Professor Alex de Ruyter, Director of the Birmingham City University Centre for Brexit Studies, to help explain Brexit - a recent poll suggested that over two thirds of Brits do not feel up-to-date with the negotiations and the government’s latest Brexit proposal, herself included.

What does Brexit mean for young Brits?

Some believe that young Brits will be effected by Brexit in a positive ways, such as potentially having more job opportunities as there is expected to be a significant number of workers leaving their jobs as a result of the UK leaving the EU. It’s also believed that property values are likely to settle, which could lead to more affordable housing, something the UK currently lacks.

That being said, it is far more likely that Brexit isn’t going to make life any easier for young people. In fact, according to recent figures, young people aged 16 to 24 are nearly twice as likely to consider moving abroad due to Brexit. A cheaper cost of living and increased salary were all push factors for young Brits who are currently facing inflation and a weakened sterling.

Only time will tell what Brexit will mean for the UK but the fact remains that millions of Leave voters would choose to stay in the EU if given a second chance.

Would you?