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Research by the Policy Institute, RAND Europe and the University of Cambridge has shown that the British public do not wish to see the UK leave the EU without a Brexit deal, on World Trade Organisation terms.
They instead favour an agreement that resembles Norway’s current relationship with the EU, allowing for free trade with other countries while remaining within the single market and accepting freedom of movement.
The research is the first to use an economic approach known as ‘stated preference discrete choice experiments’ to measure how the British public value different components of a Brexit deal, and has potentially significant implications for the government’s stance as it negotiates the UK’s withdrawal from the EU.
Other findings include:
- The British public are more concerned with managing demand for public services than simply restricting freedom of movement, particularly those who voted to Leave the EU.
- People highly value having access to EU markets for trade in goods and services, but would also like the UK to be able to make its own trade deals.
- People value the UK being able to make its own laws, but not as much as single market access or the ability to make trade deals.
- People with degrees hold stronger views about the value of freedom of movement for holidays and working and are less sensitive to the level of EU contribution. They also hold different views to those without degrees regarding the importance of UK sovereignty over its laws.
- The public favour a Brexit agreement that resembles Norway’s current relationship with the EU, allowing for free trade with other countries while remaining within the single market and accepting freedom of movement and some loss of sovereignty.