Pressure rises on Govt as two in three Labour voters back closer ties with Europe given Trump presidency
EMBARGO: Immediate Release
A two-thirds majority (64%) of 2024 Labour voters agree that the UK should build closer “economic and security ties with Europe” given Trump’s incoming presidency, polling commissioned by the Liberal Democrats has revealed - piling pressure on the Government to accelerate talks on UK-EU relations as the new presidency gets under way.
With Donald Trump assuming office as President of the United States on Monday, the poll shows two in three (64%) Labour voters back a stronger relationship with Europe - with over 50% nationally backing the approach.
The survey shows that 64% of Brits who voted Labour in the last election agreed with closer economic security ties with Europe, compared to about half of national voters (52%).
67% of Labour voters said they were “worried” about how Trump’s presidency would hit the UK’s economy and security - with again over half of national voters expressing their anxiety about the incoming President (56%).
Nigel Farage’s cosy relationship with Trump also raised concerns with voters across the political spectrum, with nearly one in two (47%) Brits expressing their worry that Farage’s close ties with the next President risk undermining the UK’s national interests. That figure jumped among Labour voters: 61% of Starmer voters said that Farage’s friendship risk endangering UK security.
The Liberal Democrats called on the government to negotiate a new Customs Union with the EU on Thursday - and today challenged the Prime Minister to accelerate talks regarding the UK’s stance on Europe.
Calum Miller, Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs Spokesperson, said:
“We all know what Donald Trump’s leadership looked like last time: inconstant, unreliable, occasionally menacing.
“It’s no wonder voters are worried about how he’ll impact our national security - not to mention their pockets.
“A clear majority of the people who put Labour in power want action to support our economy and security in the wake of Trump, and that means forging closer ties with Europe.
“Keir Starmer must listen to them and accelerate talks with Europe. The Liberal Democrats will continue to push urgently for a stronger UK-EU relationship, including a brand-new Customs Union deal to cut red tape and boost British businesses.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
Methodology: Savanta interviewed 2,205 UK adults aged 18+ online between 10th and 12th January 2025. Data were weighted to be representative of the UK by age, sex, region, and social grade.
Full polling from Savanta here.
