Southwestern counties begin to turn against Brexit in recent poll
Voters in the South West region of the UK now oppose Brexit, while a greater proportion of voters would like a second referendum, according to a YouGov survey, commissioned by the People's Vote campaign for a new referendum. Putting aside the "don't know" and those that would not vote, 51% of respondents would back Remain and 49% would back Leave in a new referendum, while 42% of respondents would like another vote compared to 35% who would not. Former YouGov president Peter Kellner called the poll the first "significant test" of public opinion since the 2016 vote.
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The English region that could be crucial to a Conservative election victory and backed leaving the European Union in 2016 has swung against Brexit, according to a new poll.

A YouGov survey shows people in the southwest now oppose the UK’s departure amid the chaos of the negotiations and the mounting prospect of a no-deal Brexit.

The poll – commissioned by the People’s Vote campaign for a fresh referendum – adds that a greater proportion of people want another chance to vote on Brexit, by a margin of 42 per cent to 35 per cent.

The Independent has launched its own Final Say campaign, pushing for the British people to have a referendum on the final deal eventually proposed by Theresa May, with more than half a million people having signed the petition.

It also comes as the president of the Royal Society and Nobel prize-winning biologist Venki Ramakrishnan warned that a no-deal Brexit would be devastating for the UK’s science industry.

According to the YouGov poll, when respondents were asked how they would vote if a fresh referendum were to be held, 46 per cent said they would Remain a member of the EU, 43 per cent opted for Leave, 6 per cent replied “don’t know” and a further 6 per cent said they would not vote.

When pollsters excluded the don’t knows and would not vote, 51 per cent said they would back Remain while 49 per cent believed Leave would be the best option.

At the 2016 referendum around 53 per cent of voters in the southwest cast their ballot for Leave while 47 opted Remain.

The region is particularly crucial for the Conservatives as it often cited as being crucial to David Cameron’s surprise majority victory at the 2015 general election as his party swept away seats from the Liberal Democrats, who lost all of their 15 MPs.

And at the 2017 snap election Theresa May’s party held 47 seats in the southwest while losing four – three to Labour and one to the Liberal Democrats.

Peter Kellner, the former YouGov president, said the poll is the first “significant test” of public opinion in the region on Brexit since the 2016 referendum and demonstrates that “attitudes are beginning to shift”.

People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal Show all 30 1 / 30 People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal Rex People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal AFP/Getty Images People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal A young protestor shouts as she takes part in the People's Vote demonstration against Brexit Getty Images People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal Reuters People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal EPA People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal A protester's pro-EU t-shirt EPA People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal EPA People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal AFP/Getty Images People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal EPA People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal AFP/Getty People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal EPA People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal Gina Miller and Caroline Lucas EPA People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal EPA People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal EPA People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal Tens of thousands of people march through London EPA People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal EPA People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal Demonstrators at the People's Vote March Getty People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal 'Two months too young to decide on my future' REUTERS People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal PA People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal A young girl joins in the march PA People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal An EU flag is draped across the statue of Winston Chruchill in Parliament Square REUTERS People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal AFP/Getty Images People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal Vince Cable MP, Pro-EU campaigner Gina Miller, Tony Robinson and Caroline Lucas MP join with crowds PA People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal PA People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal Crowds gather on Pall Mall PA People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal A man resembling Britain's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, joins EU supporters Reuters People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal Reuters People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal People gather in Trafalgar Square REUTERS People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal Pro-EU campaigner Gina Miller and Tony Robinson PA People's Vote march – demanding vote on final Brexit deal EU supporters, calling on the government to give Britons a vote on the final Brexit deal, participate in the 'People's Vote' march REUTERS

The poll also adds that 42 per cent of people would support a fresh public vote when negotiations with the bloc are completed and 35 per cent said they would oppose it.

But if the prime minister’s negotiations in Brussels break down and the UK has to choose between staying in the EU or leaving without a deal, 47 per cent said they would prefer a fresh public vote while 27 per cent opted to hand the decision to MPs.

“Voters in the southwest support a People’s Vote on any final Brexit deal negotiated by the government by a clear margin which rises much higher with the prospect of leaving the EU without any deal,” Mr Kellner added.

The findings come ahead of a rally – organised by the People’s Vote campaign – in Bristol this weekend, with speakers including the senior Conservative MP Sarah Wollaston and the Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable.

Brexit casualties Show all 10 1 / 10 Brexit casualties Brexit casualties Andrea Jenkyns - Resigned from Parliamentary Private Secretary at the ministry for housing, communities and local government role May 2018 - The Morley and Outwood MP said: “We want to see a new relationship with Europe, with a new model not enjoyed by other countries – nothing that leaves us half-in, half-out. “And in order to achieve this, we need to leave the customs union.” Ms Jenkyn’s also said she wished to dedicate more of her time to Parliament’s influential Exiting the European Union select committee, after a series of “unbalanced” reports produced by MPs PA Brexit casualties David Davis - Resigned from Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union role July 2018 - quit following a major row with May over her plans for post-Brexit relations with the EU. Davis resignation letter said: “As you know there have been a significant number of occasions in the last year or so on which I have disagreed with the Number 10 policy line, ranging from accepting the [European] Commission’s sequencing of negotiations, through to the language on Northern Ireland in the December Joint Report. “At each stage I have accepted collective responsibility because it is part of my task to find workable compromises, and because I considered it was still possible to deliver on the mandate of the referendum, and on our manifesto commitment to leave the Customs Union and the Single Market. “I am afraid that I think the current trend of policy and tactics is making that look less and less likely.” He went on to argue that the “general direction” of Ms May’s policies would leave the UK “in at best a weak negotiating position, and possibly an inescapable one”. AFP/Getty Brexit casualties Steve Baker - Resigned from Minister at the Department for Exiting the European Union role July 2018 - Mr Baker, a key Tory figure in the Leave campaign, was David Davis’s main lieutenant at Dexeu, and was hailed as ”courageous and principled” by other Brexiteer Tories as he also left. Reuters Brexit casualties Boris Johnson - Resigned from Foreign Secretary role July 2018 - resigned over May's Chequers plan. In his resignation letter to the prime minister, Mr Johnson said: "On Friday, I acknowledged that my side of the argument were too few to prevail and congratulated you on at least reaching a Cabinet decision on the way forward. "As I said then, the government now has a song to sing. "The trouble is that I have practised the words over the weekend and find that they stick in the throat." Reuters Brexit casualties Conor Burns - Resigned from Parliamentary Private Secretary to Foreign Secretary role July 2018 - A Brexit supporter who worked alongside Boris Johnson stated in his resignation letter: “I've decided it's time to have greater freedom. I want to see the referendum result respected. And there are other areas of policy I want to speak more openly on.” Rex Brexit casualties Chris Green - Resigned from Department for Transport role July 2018 - The Bolton West MP said: "Parliament overwhelmingly decided to give the decision of whether to leave or remain in the European Union to the British people and they made an unambiguous decision that we ought to leave. "I have always understood the idea in 'Brexit means Brexit' is that the final deal should be clear to me and my constituents - that we have, in no uncertain terms, left the European Union. Twitter Ads info and privacy "The direction the negotiations had been taking have suggested that we would not really leave the EU and the conclusion and statements following the Chequers summit confirmed my fears. "I recognise that delivering Brexit is challenging, however I had hoped at tonight's meeting that there would be some certainty that my fears were unfounded but, instead, they have been confirmed. "I have been grateful for the opportunity to serve as Parliamentary Private Secretary and it is with regret that I offer my resignation with immediate effect." PA Brexit casualties Maria Caulfield - Resigned from Conservative Party vice-chair for women role July 2018 - resigned over May's Chequers plan. Lewes MP warned that the direction of travel did “not fully embrace the opportunities that Brexit can provide”. Ms Caulfield said in her letter to the PM: “The policy may assuage vested interests, but the voters will find out and their representatives will be found out. This policy will be bad for our country and bad for the party. “The direct consequences of that will be prime minister Corbyn.” PA Brexit casualties Ben Bradley - Resigned from Conservative Party vice-chair for young people role July 2018 - resigned over May's Chequers plan. The Mansfield MP said: “I admit that I voted to Remain in that ballot. What has swayed me over the last two years to fully back the Brexit vision is the immense opportunities that are available from global trade, and for the ability for Britain to be an outward looking nation in control of our own destiny once again. “I fear that this agreement at Chequers damages those opportunities; that being tied to EU regulations, and the EU tying our hands when seeking to make new trade agreements, will be the worst of all worlds if we do not deliver Brexit in spirit as well as in name, then we are handing Jeremy Corbyn the keys to No10.” PA Brexit casualties Robert Courts - Resigned from Parliamentary Private Secretary role July 2018 - resigned over May's Chequers plan. MP Mr Courts said: “I have taken a very difficult decision to resign my position as [parliamentary private secretary] to express discontent with the Chequers [plans] in votes tomorrow. “I had to think who I wanted to see in the mirror for the rest of my life. I cannot tell the people of Woxon that I support the proposals in their current form.” Getty Brexit casualties Scott Mann - Resigned from Parliamentary Private Secretary role July 2018 - resigned over May's Chequers plan. "I fear elements of the Brexit white paper will inevitably put me in direct conflict with the views expressed by a large section of my constituents. I am not prepared to compromise their wishes to deliver a watered-down Brexit. "The residents of North Cornwall made it very clear that they wish to have control over our fishery, our agricultural policy, our money, our laws and our borders. I will evaluate those principles against the Brexit white paper and ensure that I vote in line with their wishes." Rex

Mr Kellner continued: “Opinion is still very polarised with big differences between the views of young people and older voters but it is interesting to see how many Leave supporters have concerns about the possible impact of Brexit on their region.

“And the findings will put pressure on political parties as well. Labour voters in the southwest are at odds with their party’s official pro-Brexit position and this poll will make uncomfortable reading for local MPs who are toeing the party line.”

The Labour MP Ben Bradshaw, who represents Exeter, said: “Whether they voted Leave or Remain in the referendum, members of the public from all walks of life in the southwest now want to take back control of the Brexit process from Westminster and demand a People’s Vote.”

He added: “The botched Brexit being dumped on the southwest’s doorstep by politicians in Westminster will be a disaster for this brilliant region, its economy, its culture and its young people.

“My own party is in danger of letting down its voters and young people in particular. I urge my colleagues who do not yet support a People’s Vote to study this poll and ask themselves whether they came into politics to stand against the views of our supporters or do they want to join us in the southwest in demanding our democratic voice is heard on Brexit.”