Recent polls show 57% of Britons think leaving the EU was wrong and nearly half support a referendum on rejoining. Prime Minister Andy Burnham has stated that a second referendum on EU membership is an option as the government considers deeper relations ahead of the 2026 UK-EU summit.
The narrow Yes win came with an awkward contrast: the most-respected arguments on the page opposed reopening the EU question. The contest was less about whether voters could be asked again than whether asking again would honour democracy or undermine it.
The strongest No case warned that the terms of re-entry would be different: “our pre-2016 deal is off the table,” and the campaign would collapse once those terms were clear. Other No voters made the case for finality, arguing that “we need to stop with the instability” and that the 2016 decision should be respected even by those who disliked it.
Yes voters answered that the question was about holding a vote, not necessarily rejoining: one called it “a meter of public opinion and a compass for future policymaking.” Another argued a new referendum could make people who feel “disenfranchised, disillusioned, or discarded” feel heard. The sides talked past each other: Yes made the case for renewed consent; No voters warned that a fresh vote would reopen a settled choice without restoring the terms voters once had.
This is an argument still shaped by the legacy of Brexit: some No voters favoured closer trading ties while rejecting another referendum, while others saw any rerun as a threat to the original mandate. The Yes case, in turn, treated asking the public as a democratic end in itself, distinct from the terms of any eventual deal.
Yes won the question of whether to ask again; the sharpest No arguments were about what the asking would set in motion.
“We should absolutely hold one but there's not a chance they're letting us rejoin on the terms we left having, so probably best just as a meter of public opinion and a compass for future policymaking”
YES case · Bauhaus · 4 respects
“No, there is no case for a third referendum on EEC/EU membership, not least as when it is explained that rejoin means joining the Euro, joining Schengen, accepting full free movement, no rebate on £30bn+ membership fee, accepting substantially more “refugees”, ending the UK life sciences industry, restarting live animal exports and imports of fur, a ban on Burnham’s zero VAT rate for energy, scrap”
NO case · ThomasPilchard · 9 respects
% voting yes, by leaning
refnation referendum, closed 1 October 2026: “Should the UK hold a second referendum on its membership of the European Union?” — Yes 53%, weighted by political leaning (1,344 votes).
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82 Opinions
No, there is no case for a third referendum on EEC/EU membership, not least as when it is explained that rejoin means joining the Euro, joining Schengen, accepting full free movement, no rebate on £30bn+ membership fee, accepting substantially more “refugees”, ending the UK life sciences industry, restarting live animal exports and imports of fur, a ban on Burnham’s zero VAT rate for energy, scrapping all trade deals, subjecting UK to EU Charter of Fundamental Rights etc etc
Speaking as a "Remainer", we simply cannot go through this again. Our pre-2016 deal is off the table and any referendum ignores the basic reality that Brussels is not waiting with open arms to welcome us back on those long lost terms we used to have. Rejoining under Article 49 means committing to the single currency and Schengen borders. The moment those terms are clear, the campaign collapses.
Do we have another then another then another until we get the outcome the gravy train wants . We had a referendum it was out . More people voted to leave than voted for the obscene self serving politicians
We have already had one, leave won. It unfortunate that the people in power were all traitors and never fully enacted it. So untill it has properly been instated and running for at least 10 years there should be no discussions about a rerun.
It would be interesting to see the figures once the full implications of re-joining were explained.
No. Absolutely not. The British people made the decision in 2016. Brexit restored the levers of sovereignty; the failure since has been successive governments refusing to use them properly. Repeating the referendum because politicians dislike how Brexit has been implemented is the definition of doing the same thing and expecting a different result i.e., 'Madness'. Use the powers we already reclaimed and govern Britain in Britain's interests.
Let's not forget, if we go back in, they'll want us to pay, and it'll be punitive.. & they'll want us to change to the €uro. And move the financial sector away from London. And take even more immigrants. Our welfare system & the NHS will be in tatters. No.
There are no conceivable benefits to rejoining. Those that want to are selling snake oil. The perpetual uncertainty another ref would cause (because there would inevitably be another one after that) is very damaging. We should stay out and actually take advantage of it.
This has been decided already. What will this change? Continuous MP's and Governments have tried to stop this happening and have then tried to overturn it. It's no wonder things became as bad because we had a House of Parliament trying to overturn the will of the people and sabotage this.
It’s far too soon after the last one. The political class can’t get away with keeping rerunning the referendum until they get the result they want. We’re out and won’t rejoin