Two-thirds of voters support Hammond’s plan for soft Brexit

PHILIP HAMMOND is commanding the increasing support of the British people in his Cabinet battle against the ‘hard’ Brexiteers.

Our Survation poll shows that on the totemic issue of whether the UK should remain in the customs union – giving British companies the automatic right to trade freely with EU firms – the Chancellor is backed by an emphatic twothirds of voters who expressed a view while just 31 per cent back the hard Brexit position of leaving the union.

Mr Hammond has infuriated Leave-supporting Ministers by arguing in Cabinet that British jobs and prosperity depend on retaining the benefits of the customs union – even if only for a transitionary period to allow them to adjust to the new trading conditions.

The Brexiteers have counterbriefed their suspicion that, as an ‘instinctive Treasury Remainer’, he is trying to exploit Mrs May’s weakness by trying to ‘water down’ Brexit. The poll points to a growing public fear about the consequences of a ‘cliff-edge departure’ from the EU when Brexit talks conclude in March 2019 – possibly because the political turmoil caused by the inconclusive General Election result has magnified people’s feelings of insecurity.

Opinion is still firmly against Mrs May’s war-cry earlier this year that she could walk away from the negotiating table because ‘no deal is better than a bad deal’.

The Survation poll shows that 65 per cent of those with a view were against walking away, while only 35 per cent agreed with the Prime Minister’s tactic.

And support is rocketing for the idea of a second referendum to be held on whether to accept the terms of the final Brexit deal with the EU.

A total of 53 per cent of those with a view back a vote, while 47 per cent oppose, a margin of six points.

When the question was asked in April, the majority was against a second referendum, with only 46 per cent backing a vote and 54 per cent opposed.