The YouGov survey for the TaxPayersAlliance and Global Vision, the Eurosceptic pressure group, shows that voters remain antagonistic towards the EU in the wake of the Lisbon Treaty, which increased the powers of Brussels at the expense of national governments, as well as towards the euro, despite recent falls in the value of the pound. The survey – released exclusively to The Sunday Telegraph – also spells out the threat posed to the Tories by the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) in elections to the European Parliament which take place on 4 June. Ten per cent of those who would vote Tory in a general election will back UKIP in the euro-election, the survey suggests. David Cameron has been trying to "close down" Europe as a political issue amid fears that traditional Tory divisions on the subject could resurface with the possible return of Ken Clarke, the strongly pro-Brussels former Chancellor, to the shadow cabinet. Overall, 16 per cent of voters want Britain simply to withdraw from the EU, while 48 per cent would like to see a much looser relationship, with the government taking back powers from Brussels and ending the supremacy of the European Court of Justice over British law. Added together this makes 64 per cent in favour of weakening Britain's ties with the EU, compared with just 22 per cent in favour of keeping the UK's current full membership including the Lisbon Treaty, which was passed by parliament without a referendum. Asked if they favoured joining the euro, in the wake of the slump in the value of the pound which at one stage brought it close to parity with the single European Currency, 64 per cent said No, with 24 per cent backing euro membership, a finding broadly in line with a BBC opinion poll earlier this month. In the first study of voting intentions for the European parliamentary elections in June the Tories are on 35 per cent, six points ahead of Labour on 29 per cent with the Liberal Democrats on 15 per cent and UKIP on 7 per cent. Then come the Greens (5 per cent), the British National Party (4 per cent) and nationalist parties in Scotland and Wales (also 4 per cent). Significantly, 10 per cent of Conservative voters at a general election would switch to UKIP in the euro-election, compared with 2 per cent of Labour voters and 1 per cent of those backing the Lib Dems. Conservative support could fall still further if Mr Clarke makes a front-bench return, using his position to make high-profile interventions on European matters. Some 45 per cent of voters, meanwhile, believe none of the three main political parties adequately reflects their views on Britain's future relations with the EU, while 59 per cent of the population believes ministers should disregard the EU's VAT rules if they feel a further cut in VAT is necessary in this year's Budget. The current rate of 15 per cent is the lowest permitted by Brussels. Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the TaxPayersAlliance, which with Global Vision has launched a campaign to propel European issues up the political agenda in the coming weeks, said: "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." Loosen Britain's ties with European Union, say two-thirds of voters
Almost two-thirds of voters want a significant loosening of Britain's ties with the European Union including an end to the supremacy of the European Court of Justice, a new opinion poll reveals.
YouGov polled 2,157 adults between 6 January and 8 January.
Sunday, 11 January 2009
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