Starmer ‘confusing’ voters with barely a third understanding Labour’s policy towards EU
Sir Keir Starmer has consistently said Britain will not rejoin the EU under Labour - despite backing Remain in 2016.
Labour is baffling potential voters with barely one in three understanding what its policy towards the EU actually is - four years after the UK quit the bloc, a new poll has suggested.
The research, published by Savanta today, suggests leader Sir Keir Starmer will come under increasing pressure to “set his stall out” prior to polling day on July 4, said Political Research Director Chris Hopkins.
The findings come days after Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey said it was the party's "longer-term objective" to rejoin the European Union, and ahead of the Labour Party's planned manifesto launch this week.
Fewer than six in ten (57 percent) of those intending to vote Labour say they understand what Keir Starmer's policy is towards the EU.
Just 11 percent of undecided voters say they understand their position while a quarter (27 percent) of those voting Conservative and four in ten (40 percent) of Liberal Democrat voters get it.
Leave voters (58 percent) are much more likely than Remain voters (44 percent) to be perplexed by Labour's policy on the UK's future relationship with the EU.
Chris Hopkins, Political Research Director at Savanta said: “Keir Starmer has very effectively shut down attacks that he is planning to rejoin the European Union on the sly, but to the detriment of voters understanding what his party's policy on the EU actually is.
“In particular, Leave supporters and older voters are more likely to be confused by Labour's policy towards the EU.
"With the Liberal Democrats now backing returning to the single market, and Labour's imminent manifesto launch, there will likely be increasing pressure on Keir Starmer to set out his stall before polling day."
Both Sir Keir and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will face a grilling in Grimsby on Wednesday after the Prime Minister pledged to halve immigration and Labour promised to fix potholes - with the Labour leader likely to be questioned about his party’s policy towards UK-EU relations.
The pair will go head to head to win over voters as they take questions from journalist Beth Rigby and the studio audience during Sky News' leaders special.
It comes after Mr Sunak unveiled a £17.2 billion package of tax cuts at the Silverstone motor racing circuit yesterday.
But with Labour's poll lead averaging around 20 points, the Tory leader will be expected to come out fighting during Wednesday's live broadcast to keep his job.
