Jan 2009 11

New YouGov poll launches TPA/Global Vision EU campaign: Overwhelming public demand for radical change9

Unveiling a new poll revealing the public's appetite for radical change in Britain's relationship with the EU, the TaxPayers' Alliance (TPA) and Global Vision (GV) today launch a new campaign to highlight the impact of the European Union on the lives and finances of British taxpayers. The campaign, which will run for the six months up to the European Elections on June 4th, will use the research, campaign and media methods that the TPA has honed in exposing waste, mismanagement and bad government in Britain to scrutinise the EU. Allied with Global Vision's experience and expertise in EU issues, the campaign aims to raise awareness of the importance of the EU as an issue and press for a new, looser relationship with the EU based on trade rather than the harmful drive to political and economic union.
 
The campaign is launched with an opinion poll that reveals the British public are deeply opposed to the current relationship between Britain and the EU, and that there is considerable appetite for radical change. YouGov surveyed 2,157 adults betwen 6th and 8th January, and the key findings are:

  • 45% of the public feel that none of the main parties adequately represent their views on Britain's future relationship with the EU, whilst only 29% believe that any of the main parties represents their view. Among Conservative supporters, only 35% feel that any of the main parties adequately represents their view on Britain's relationship with the EU.
  • 64% of the population demand radical change in Britain's relationship with the EU, including an end to political integration and the supremacy of the European Court. 48% of those favour a looser relationship based on trade and voluntary co-operation, whilst a further 16% support withdrawal from the EU. By comparison, only 22% of the population support Britain remaining an EU member on current terms.
  • 64% of the public would vote no to Britain joining the Euro, compared to only 24% who would support Euro membership.
  • The economic crisis has made people less likely to support joining the single currency – with 27% made less likely to support adopting the Euro, compared to 18% who are more likely to support adopting the currency.
  • 59% of the population believe the British Government should disregard the EU’s VAT rules, should they feel that a further cut is necessary in the 2009 Budget to combat the recession. Only 25% believe the Government should obey the EU's rules.
  • First Poll of EU Election Voting Intentions: It found that the Conservatives lead the poll on 35%, followed by Labour on 29%, Lib Dems on 15% and UKIP on 7%. Notably, 10% of Conservative voters at a General Election would switch to UKIP at the European elections, compared to 2% of Labour voters and 1% of Liberal Democrat voters. Similarly, 10% of Lib Dem voters are planning to lend their vote to the Greens at the European elections.

The full poll data can be found here.

Matthew Elliott, Chief Executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said:
“The EU affects almost every aspect of our lives, from the work place to prices in the supermarket. It lands a huge cost on ordinary families that they can ill afford to bear, especially during the recession. People have a right to know how their money is being squandered in Brussels and we are going to expose what is really going on. The main political parties have let people down by avoiding or fudging the EU issue, but it has such a big impact on our day to day lives that it must be dealt with.”

Ruth Lea, Director of Global Vision, said:
“The current situation is simply unacceptable. The EU costs British people billions, and controls far too many of our national policies. The people want a new deal, where we can trade and cooperate with Europe but not suffer all the tax, bureaucracy and meddling that comes with full EU membership. That deal can be achieved, and it is in the interests of all of us that we take back control.”

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  • http://www.newalliance.org.uk/euconnow.htm Brian Mooney

    Interesting poll. But if you look at EU membership obligations, they demand accepting the ‘acquis communautaire’ – the whole body of Community Law.
    Unfortunately the European Court has long decided that once powers are at Europe level, they cannot be taken back. Nor can a Member State like Britain act in contravention of the many EU directives and regulations (etc).
    If we dared to, it could levy unlimited fines on us – just wait for the fallout from the Landfill Directive.
    The only meaningful way of having a looser relationship is to plan for Life After EU, with maybe co-operation through NATO, the Council of Europe, and trade bodies like EFTA. That would at least save a fortune in taxpayers’ money.

  • http://www.democracymovementsurrey.co.uk Ken Worthy

    Good start, but why not go the whole hog and leave the EU altogether? Only 24% of us are happy with our current membership, with 64% wanting radical change. The option most want – a looser relationship with the EU, is just not on offer under present circumstances. The only way we could get such a relationship, such as a free trade area without all the political elements, would be to leave the EU and negotiate a completely new relationship with them. We buy more from them than they buy from us, so it would not be in their interest to refuse. The trouble is, once we had started, more and more countries would start doing the same thing – goodbye to the EU, and good riddance.

  • George Earle

    Totally agree with the first 2 commentators.
    Good point made by Richard North in his EU Referendum blog, I quote
    “One can see the tactical advantage, though, of posing the “looser ties” question, but it would make much more sense then to have another question. This one should pose to the “looser ties” crowd the scenario that no changes can be made to existing treaties and, therefore, their original choice is not an option. In that scenario, what is the preference: in or out?”
    UKIP have to make this Euroelection on 4th June into a referendum on In or Out with the Lib/Lab/Con and Libertas the IN button and UKIP and BNP the OUT button. It may comfort the “looser ties crowd” fearful of the starkness of the choice that by voting OUT on 4th June they are really only calling for an official Referendum before we withdraw. Nevertheless the fudging in this poll by offering a non-option should be put right in subsequent questionaires. No more fudging please by any Eurorealist organisation.

  • George Earle

    Previewing your Comment
    Totally agree with the first 2 commentators.
    Good point made by Richard North in his EU Referendum blog, I quote
    “One can see the tactical advantage, though, of posing the “looser ties” question, but it would make much more sense then to have another question. This one should pose to the “looser ties” crowd the scenario that no changes can be made to existing treaties and, therefore, their original choice is not an option. In that scenario, what is the preference: in or out?”
    UKIP have to make this Euroelection on 4th June into a referendum on In or Out with the Lib/Lab/Con and Libertas the IN button and UKIP and BNP the OUT button. It may comfort the “looser ties crowd” fearful of the starkness of the choice that by voting OUT on 4th June they are really only calling for an official Referendum before we withdraw. Nevertheless the fudging in this poll by offering a non-option should be put right in subsequent questionnaires. No more fudging please by any Eurorealist organisation.
    Posted by: George Earle |

  • http://kevsoft.co.uk/ revinkevin

    This shows that we should and must pull out of the undemocratic EUssr.

  • G Heath

    A few points. Mr Worthy should take cheer – it is inevitable we will leave the EU sooner or later. It is increasingly unpopular (i.e the no of people saying they want to leave or renegotiate is always increasing) and even the vast sums wasted by the EU in propoganada are not changing that.
    Our economy instantly get better the day we leave as both trade and unemployment situations improve. And if tax saving is the name of the game, then think of the money we’ll save out of the scientically ignorant EU enviromental policies, including the greatest scam of all – climate change. EU enviromental policy is deamaging the enviroment and is responsible for the deaths of 100′s of thousands of people. Saving money and lives are both good things to do and both possible out of the EU.

  • G Heath

    I see that Mr Worthy’s name above link through to Democracy Movement’s local website at http://www.democracymovementsurrey.co.uk/.
    Good source of info, and makes the point about trade and employment being worse while we are in EU.

  • http://benefitfraud.blogspot.com John Page

    Iain Martin commended this campaign in The Telegraph.
    “The Conservatives cannot postpone finding something clear and coherent to say on Europe. They must find a path between moderate Euroscepticism and “banging on about Europe”.
    “The economic crisis has changed the world, and the resulting tensions in the eurozone are creating stress fractures that could easily force several countries to leave it this year. If that happens, it will transform the debate about the future direction of the EU and open up the possibility of a looser relationship for states that choose it. Some patience is required.
    “Until then, the new campaign by the Taxpayers’ Alliance and Global Vision should guide the Tories. Best point out, calmly, how expensive the grand project of the EU is, at a time when there is so little money around. The Eurosceptic way to voters’ hearts should this time be through their wallets.”
    http://tinyurl.com/9ydkdo

  • sarah smith

    good luck with your peevish, pityfully backward pennypinching nationalism. couldn’t get the country to rally round your attempts at castigating the elderly for spending their winter fuel payments in spain? so have decided to instead just go after just about anyone who would like to continue their ability to enjoy their life in spain and any other part of europe. pack of tight fisted right wingers, your a joke.