More than Half of Britons Want to Stay in the EU

More than half of Britons, or 51 percent, would vote to stay in the EU, and 41 percent would vote for leave of the country, according to a BMG study published in the Independent newspaper.

The study was conducted from 5 to 8 December with the participation of 1400 people. It was published at a time when the country is moving to the second phase of EU exit talks that will focus on trade. The Independent notes that the advantage of the supporters of staying in the EU is the highest reported since the referendum in June last year. The director of BMG, however, points out that it is due to a change in the attitudes of those who did not vote last year, while 9 out of 10 voters did not change their views. In the referendum last year, 52 percent voted to leave the EU, and 48 percent for staying.

At the same time, Foreign Minister Boris Johnson told the Sunday Times newspaper that Britain should enter into a strong trade deal with the EU after the Brexit and avoid dependence on the bloc. If it does not reject European laws, Britain will become a vassal state, Johnson said in the interview. The government should strive to make the most of Brexit, concluding trade agreements with other countries, he said. This week, Prime Minister Theresa May has reached an agreement with the EU, negotiating the Brexit talks on trade and the transition agreement. But now it has to unite its strongly disjointed government on what a UK trade deal really wants, Reuters says.