Edinburgh takes five of top 10 places in league table of support for rejoining European Union
EU membership most popular option across the UK, but especially in Scotland
A new poll shows Edinburgh has among the strongest support among the public for the UK rejoining the European Union.
All five of Edinburgh’s Westminster constituencies are in the top 10 seats across the UK for backing EU membership.
Voters were presented with six options for the UK’s future relationship with Europe, ranging from full membership through a closer relationship to loosening ties.
Restoring the UK’s EU membership was the most popular option in every constituency except for four Reform UK-held seats.
Across the country, 35 per cent wanted membership, compared with 18 per cent for a closer relationship, the UK Government’s declared policy, 11 per cent wanting to loosen ties, 8 per cent for the status quo, 6 per cent for the single market and 5 per cent for the customs union. The other 16 per cent didn’t know.
The poll found that in Edinburgh North & Leith and Edinburgh West, support for the UK rejoining the EU was at 50 per cent, just behind Bristol Central which had the highest support at 51 per cent.
Edinburgh South West, Edinburgh East & Musselburgh and Edinburgh South all recorded 48 per cent support for membership.
Across Scotland’s 57 seats, support for EU membership averaged 43 per cent. And even the 10 Scottish seats where support for membership was weakest - between 34 and 40 per cent - outperformed the Great Britain average.
The poll, by pro-Europe campaign group Best for Britain, comes as party conference season gets into full swing with the Lib Dems gathering in Brighton and Andy Burnham preparing for his first conference as Labour leader.
Best for Britain said the poll suggested the most popular policy for Mr Burnham to pursue would be “setting the UK on a trajectory to EU membership”.
It said proposals offering a “halfway house”, such as a customs union, or the EU single market, drew limited support from Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green Party supporters, and were even less popular with Conservative or Reform UK backers.
Edinburgh West Lib Dem MP Christine Jardine said: “It is clear now that Brexit was a massive economic mistake and if we want to fix Scotland’s and the UK’s economy and make living conditions easier, we must repair the damage that has wreaked havoc in our communities.
“The only way to clean up the mess is by getting far closer to our European allies; a future voters support and one our stability and security depend on.”