UK poll shows majority favor EU re‑entry while Starmer’s expense allowance clarified

Recent polling in the United Kingdom indicates a shift in public sentiment since the 2016 Brexit referendum. An Ipsos survey of likely voters finds roughly 61% now support the UK rejoining the EU, compared with 39% opposed, after excluding respondents who are undecided. Analysts attribute the swing partly to generational turnover, as older, more pro‑Leave voters are increasingly replaced by younger voters who lean pro‑EU. However, support narrows when specific conditions are introduced; a YouGov poll shows only 35% would back re‑entry if it required adopting the euro and joining the Schengen passport‑free travel area.

Separate fact‑checking examines claims about Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s post‑office earnings. The £115,000 figure cited online refers to the Public Duty Costs Allowance (PDCA), a maximum reimbursement for legitimate expenses incurred by former prime ministers in their public duties, not an automatic pension or salary. Former leaders may also claim a pension allowance up to 10% of the PDCA, but the allowance is only payable when costs are actually incurred. In the 2024/25 financial year, five of eight living former UK prime ministers claimed the maximum or near‑maximum PDCA, while others, such as David Cameron and Liz Truss, claimed less or none.