Overwhelming majority of NI voters back rejoining EU

It shows an increase on the pro-EU vote since the 2016 referendum on the UK’s membership.

The findings emerged after a survey by LucidTalk for Sunday Life and the Belfast Telegraph.

Just over 3,200 people were asked for their view on rejoining.

Some 62 per cent said they would vote to go back in, while 35 per cent would chose to stay out, with 3 per cent unsure or offering no opinion.

In the 2016 referendum, the remain vote in Northern Ireland was 56 per cent, with leave on 44.

Pro-EU feeling was more likely among women in the survey, with 70 per cent saying they would vote to rejoin, compared to 53 per cent of men.

While the pro-EU position was dominant in all age groups, it was more common among 25 to 34-year-olds and 35 to 44-year-olds, with 74 per cent and 70 per cent choosing to rejoin respectively.

This was followed by the 65-plus age group, of which 61 per cent were in favour of rejoining, with 18 to 24-year-olds next on 59 per cent, 45 to 54-year-olds at 56 per cent and 55 to 64-year-olds on 50 per cent.

Analysed by political allegiance, the rejoin option was most popular among SDLP voters, with 99 per cent in support. This was followed by Sinn Fein on 95 per cent and Alliance at 92 per cent, with only 4 per cent and 7 per cent of their voters respectively choosing to stay out.

All but one of the unionist parties’ voters would opt to stay out, with TUV supporters the most staunchly anti-EU at 85 per cent. Eleven per cent would rejoin and 4 per cent were undecided.

They were followed by DUP supporters, with 81 per cent in favour of staying out, 15 per cent wanting to go back into the EU and 4 per cent not sure.

Only 44 per cent of UUP voters said they would vote to stay out, with 48 per cent saying they would vote to rejoin and 8 per cent not sure.

The survey also asked which way each person voted in the 2016 referendum, if they voted at all.

Of those who voted to leave, only 20 per cent would chose to rejoin, with 75 per cent sticking with their original decision and 5 per cent undecided.

Remain voters were the least moveable on the issue, with 92 per cent backing rejoining, 6 per cent supporting leaving and 2 per cent unsure.

When it came to non-voters in the 2016 poll, 74 per cent would now opt to rejoin, 24 per cent would stay out and 2 per cent were undecided.

The research was carried out between February 9 and 12 and the sample was weighted to reflect the population.

The survey also canvassed reaction to the DUP’s Stormont return, showing Sir Jeffrey Donaldson’s party has been hit with a drop in support.

The so-called Donaldson deal, which Sir Jeffrey says will bring about significant changes in the post-Brexit trading arrangements between Northern Ireland and Great Britain, was backed by more than two-thirds of unionist voters.

When asked who they would vote for first in an Assembly election, the responses saw DUP support slide four points to 24 per cent, with Sinn Fein still the largest party on 31 per cent.