Prioritise EU ties over deals with US, voters tell Starmer

Voters believe the UK should prioritise its relationship with Europe over the US, a poll has revealed, as concern grows about the re-election of Donald Trump.

- MILLIE COOKE

Some 44 per cent of people think Britain’s economic future lies with its closest neighbours in the EU, compared with 19 per cent who think the government should prioritise links with the US, a YouGov poll commissioned by Best for Britain – a proEU campaign group – showed.

The poll of more than 4,300 people was carried out between 25 and 27 November and comes as President-elect Trump looks set to hike trade tariffs on goods entering the US. He has already raised the spectre of tariffs with his nearest neighbours in Canada and Mexico in a bid to curb migration, as well as new fees on Chinese goods.

The polling also shows that more Britons trust the EU, at 49 per cent, than the US, on 30 per cent. More people were distrustful of the US than those who said they trusted the country, with 40 per cent of respondents.