POLL: Wales wants Brexit transition extension

Two-thirds of people in the UK want the government to request an extension to the Brexit transition period in order to focus on the coronavirus outbreak, according to a new opinion poll.

In Wales, 58 per cent said they wanted the government to request an extension.

The Focaldata poll was commissioned by cross-party campaign group Best for Britain and HOPE not hate.

Best for Britain’s call for an extension to the transition period has been echoed by numerous bodies and pressure groups, including the Scottish and Welsh Governments.

Two-thirds of Brits (64%) said they agreed with the statement ‘The government should request an extension to the transition period in order to focus properly on the Coronavirus’, whereas a third (36%) agreed with the statement ‘The Brexit transition period must end on 31 December whether a deal has been fixed or not’.

While this was broken down into predictable support from those who voted for Labour (84%) and the Lib Dems (83%) at the last election, the first statement was also supported by nearly half of those who voted Conservative (44%) and a fifth of Brexit Party voters (19%).

An extension was supported by more than 50 per cent of people across all age groups, with 18-24 year olds the most supportive (78%) and 65+ year olds the least supportive (although still 52%) – meaning there is no generational divide in the country over an extension request.

The same poll also found that Brits want the government to seek membership of the EU Early Warning and Response System (EWRS) for medical emergencies, after it emerged earlier this month that the Department for Health had been unsuccessful in lobbying No 10 to remain a member.

A total of 65 per cent of people in the UK, including 54 per cent in Wales, want the government to seek membership of the EWRS.

The EWRS was set up in 1998 to ‘allow exchange of information on risk assessment and risk management for more timely, efficient and coordinated public health action’.

The NHS Confederation has identified membership of the EWRS as a priority, arguing that tackling global outbreaks such as coronavirus would become “more difficult if the UK loses access.”

Best for Britain CEO Naomi Smith said:

“It’s simply not reasonable to expect we will have tied up negotiations with the EU by the end of the year while dealing with a warlike emergency. Nor is it desirable.

“By thinking it can complete both challenges at once, the government would be setting itself up for failure with profound economic consequences.

“Most people just want the government to get on with the job at hand so that lives can be saved and normality restored as quickly as possible.

“This is the certainly the case in Wales, where a majority support an extension, which has also been called for by the Welsh Government.

“The country is simply not in a place to weather two storms at the moment.”

Welsh Labour MP and Best for Britain supporter Jo Stevens said:

“Setting the UK up for a second economic shock would be deeply irresponsible at a time when the world is struggling to contain the coronavirus.

“The people of Wales aren’t worried about securing a Brexit trade deal given the entire economy is being shut down. Businesses and communities just want the certainty of knowing the terms on which they will be trading in a year’s time.

“The UK government must focus on the job at hand. Until further notice, that job is dealing with the coronavirus outbreak, not Brexit.”

HOPE not hate CEO Nick Lowles said:

“EU schemes like the Early Warning and Response System and the ventilator procurement programme are critical tools for responding to this urgent public health crisis.

“Healthcare workers are doing a fantastic job, but they cannot fight this disease alone. They need all the help they can get.

“The government must put politics aside and urgently seek participation in these schemes. It would be foolhardy for ideology to get in the way of practical measures to keep people safe.”