Voters want Sir Keir Starmer to do more to develop closer trade relations with the EU than with Donald Trump’s United States, a new poll suggests.
More than half (58 per cent) of voters want closer trade with the EU, compared to just one-in five (20 per cent) who prefer deepening ties with the US, the BMG Research poll for The i Paper suggested.
The polling was carried out before the Prime Minister and President Trump announced the UK-US economic deal which has helped Britain see off the worst of American tariffs in a move Starmer said would protect thousands of jobs.
But negotiations are set to continue on further tariff reductions, and Starmer has faced repeated warnings that he may ultimately have to choose whether to tack closer to the US or the EU.
Concessions to America in areas like tech, agri-food or carbon taxes could make it more difficult for the UK to strike deals with Brussels.
As well as voters across the Leave-Remain divide favouring closer EU trade over US trade, more than half (51 per cent) believe Starmer should be doing more to get closer to Brussels.
The Prime Minister is targeting the signing of a security and defence deal at the landmark UK-EU summit on 19 May, and is hoping to set the stage for further agreements on agri-food trade and easier movement for business people, while Brussels pushes for deals on under-30s migration and fishing rights.
But many more voters favour going further by rejoining the EU customs union (46 support, 22 per cent oppose) or single market (44 per cent support, 23 per cent oppose) to ease trade.
However, voters’ views about EU relations are strongly dictated by how they voted in the 2016 EU Referendum.
For those who voted Remain, 71 per cent want the UK Government to do more to build stronger relations with the EU, 73 per cent support the UK rejoining the EU customs union and 72 per cent support the UK rejoining the EU single market.
While Leave voters were more positive about building stronger relations with the EU, they are much more negative about rejoining the EU customs union or single market.
In an illustration of why Starmer made maintaining UK food standards a red line in his trade talks with Trump, the poll showed strong opposition to watering down regulations to get a deal with the US (58 per cent would oppose, 23 per cent would accept).
Catherine Lethbridge, pollster at BMG, said: “Nearly half of the public believe the Government should be doing more to strengthen ties with the EU. While this view is strongest among 2016 Remain voters, a notable share of Leave voters also support improved relations.
“When it comes to formal arrangements, such as rejoining the EU customs union or single market, support outweighs opposition by around two to one. However, Leave voters remain significantly more resistant to these specific measures, even if they support the general principle of improved EU relations.
“Perhaps reflecting wider global uncertainty in the wake of President Trump’s inauguration, both Leave and Remain voters are more likely to favour closer trade ties with the EU than with the US, albeit to differing degrees.
“On the prospect of a trade deal with the US, the public expressed clear resistance to lowering food standards as part of a trade agreement, with US agriculture a particular concern.
“While this poll took place prior to the announcement of the UK–US agreement, the strength of opinion is indicative of why the Government moved quickly to reassure voters that protections would remain in place.”
:: BMG Research interviewed a representative sample of 1,525 GB adults online between 6-8 May 2025. Fieldwork was conducted before details of the UK-US trade agreement were announced. BMG Research is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules.
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