A new study released two years after Brexit suggests that two-thirds of Brits now support a referendum on the UK rejoining the EU.
The study, conducted by Savanta for The Independent, reveals that two out of three people in the UK say they support the idea of a referendum giving the public another vote on Brexit.
The UK officially left the EU on 31 January 2020, however, it then stayed in the single market until 31 December 2020 as part of a “transition period” that saw it observe Brussels laws, reports The Manc.
Since then, people said that they think that the UK’s economy, ability to control our own borders and influence on the world stage have all declined.
It is speculated that these factors have contributed to boosting the number of people who now say they would like the opportunity for a future referendum on membership.
65 percent of those asked said that there should be another vote, up from 55 percent in 2021.
Chris Hopkins, from Savanta, suggested one reason behind the increase could be that many people overestimated the potential benefits of Brexit when they went to the polls in 2016.
Image: Unsplash
“It’s hard to imagine being in the EU would solve any of the country’s current economic issues,” he said, “but perceptions matter.”
He also said that some felt that Brexit was “not the taking back of control that all those who voted Leave were promised”, as the perception of many was that leaving the EU had in fact made control of our own borders harder.
In fact, half of Britons felt that the UK’s ability to control its own borders – a key pledge for Brexiteers in 2016 – had actually become worse as a result, rising from 43 percent to 50 percent.
The survey also found that 54 percent of people now felt that leaving the EU was the wrong decision, an increase from the 46 percent who said the same last year.
A government spokesperson said: “We are taking full advantage of the many benefits of Brexit, and are restoring the UK’s status as a sovereign, independent country that determines its own future.
“We have taken back control of our borders, restored domestic control over our law-making and axed numerous pieces of bureaucratic red tape, saving businesses and consumers money across the country.”
Yard Act are back as they announce first round of UK headline dates since 2024.
We are so, so back.
It's been a few years, but Yard Act have just announced a small selection of UK gigs for later in the year including a homecoming gig at the O2 Academy on Friday 6 November.
The dates follow the band’s first show of the year at the 6Music Festival this Friday across The Pennines in Manchester.
After Leeds, the lads will be performing shows at the O2 Victoria Warehouse on Friday 13 November before making their way down south to the O2 Academy in Brixton on Thursday 26 November.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Yard Act completed the touring for their critically acclaimed second album Where’s My Utopia? with a victory lap back home at the 5000 capacity Millennium Square in Leeds in August 2024.
It was a record that brought a stark change of pace to the acerbic, post-punk of their debut, embracing something altogether more playful and bringing a different energy. It shifted the dynamic on stage too, with the addition of dancing backing singers and additional musicians and openly challenged listeners to reconsider who they thought Yard Act were.
Since then, the band have remained active, whether writing Where’s My Utopia’s follow-up on scratching the itch to get back on stage, heading out across the UK and Europe with The Hives, which was preceded by an intimate one-off show at Blackpool Tower last May.
Following a lengthy stint in the studio, the band now look to the Autumn for three big UK dates and we cannot wait.
Tickets go on artist presale from 10am on Wednesday 25 March before hitting general sale at 10am on Friday 27 March. Sign up here.
Estimated to be worth around £45 million, the Grade II-listed structure renovations won't begin for a little while just yet, but it is set to increase the capacity of the space by more than 50%.
Announced on Tuesday, 24 March, the major refurb will be partly funded by public money and topped up by the private sector and "philanthropic partners".
The UK government and Sheffield City Council will be pumping in approximately £35m, with a further £10m being added through the investment mentioned above.
Soon to allow the theatre to scale up or down in size, the hope is that the new 'in the round' format will enable the Crucible to serve its arts and sporting audiences for decades to come, as well as opening the big Northern stage up to new opportunities.
Due to start in the summer of 2028, it's still unclear as to the exact completion date, but the plans are in support of confirmation that the annual snooker tournament will stay put.
A fresh agreement with the WSC will see them stay in Sheff until at least 2045, with the Crucible's number of seats set to jump from just under 1,000 to 1,480.
It's also said there is an option in the deal to extend the contract until 2050, and as one of the biggest competitive events that comes to the city year in and year out, you would expect them to push hard for the Council and partners to push hard for this, too.
Credit: Bread and Butter PR (supplied)
Dan Walker, Chair of Sheffield Theatres Trust, said in a statement: "The Crucible is a wonderful theatre with a brilliant reputation, and the positive impact of this investment will be seen for years to come.
"As a proud resident of Sheffield, I know the importance of snooker to our city, but this isn’t only good news for Sheffield: this is amazing news for the north of England and the whole of the UK."
If all goes to plan, the overhaul should take around 18 months, with productions being hosted in the Lyceium and the newest room, the Montgomery.
All the while, the Sheffield Theatres will continue to present new work both domestically and around the globe over this period, with more details coming this autumn 2026.
The Hoot -
3rd January 2023 
