A new Ipsos MORI online poll of adults aged 18-75 across Great Britain shows that seven in ten (70%) think the main reason the government has proposed parliament does not sit between 10 September and 14 October is to limit MPs’ opportunity to stop a “no-deal” Brexit – just 13% say it’s to plan for a Queen’s speech to deal with issues like the NHS and crime – the reason stated by the government. When it comes to the move, more believe the government was wrong to do this (46%) than right (30%) – although a majority of Leave voters (58%) think the government was right to take this action (20% say it was wrong) while three quarters (74%) of Remain voters think it was wrong (11% say it was right).
Despite this course of action, there is no clear alternative in the public’s eyes to Boris Johnson when it comes to Brexit. A third (34%) say they’re satisfied with how the Prime Minister is handling Brexit (49% are dissatisfied) while 15% say the same for Jeremy Corbyn (70% dissatisfied) and 19% for Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson (48% are dissatisfied). Boris Johnson however appears to be playing well to Leave voters – nearly two thirds (63%) are satisfied with how he’s handling Brexit while 22% are dissatisfied – as well as Conservative voters (67% are satisfied with him vs. 22% dissatisfied).
When it comes to a no-deal Brexit, more Britons are opposed to the idea than in support of it with 46% opposed and 37% in support of it – three quarters (73%) of Leave voters however say they support no-deal while three quarters (76%) of Remain voters are against it. When it comes to leaving but only with a deal, slightly more are in support of this (37%) than opposed (34%). Both Leave and Remain voters are spilt when it comes to Britain leaving the EU but only with a deal – 36% of Leave voters support this while 36% oppose it. Four in ten (41%) Remain voters support leaving but only with a deal while 40% oppose it.
When it comes to holding a general election immediately more support this (43%) than oppose (32%) but it’s Remain voters who tend to be more in support of holding an election (62%) while a majority of Leave voters are opposed to it (51%). A majority of Conservative voters however are opposed to holding an election (57%) while Labour voters are much more in support of it (69%).
Roger Mortimore, Director of Political Analysis at Ipsos MORI, said: “The majority of the public are unhappy with the way the Prime Minister is handling the Brexit issue and oppose his decision to shut down Parliament for a month – but it is playing well with the group that it is intended to please, Conservatives and Leave voters. What is more, the other party leaders do not seem to be well enough regarded to unite opponents of the PM behind them.”
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