61% of Leave voters think Brexit is worth ‘significant damage to UK economy’ – poll

A majority of Leave voters think achieving Britain’s exit from the European Union is worth causing significant damage to the country’s economy, according to new research.

Polling firm YouGov canvassed nearly 5,000 voters from opposing sides of last year’s Brexit referendum, posing a series of questions to test ‘Brexit extremism’ among the electorate.

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Astonishingly, the poll found that 61 percent of Leave voters would be willing to see the UK economy decline to complete the Brexit process, while 39 percent said the loss of a family member’s job would also be a price worth paying.

Among the 39 percent unmoved by the prospect of unemployment, half were over the age of 65.

Britain’s current retirement age is 65.

According to YouGov, older Leave voters are more willing than younger generations to see the country, themselves and their families lose out economically to see Britain leave the EU, with more than 70 percent of over 65s willing to see the economy damaged as opposed to 46 percent of people aged 18-24.

Brexit extremism is not strictly the preserve of Leave voters, however.

Some 34 percent of respondents said that they would rather suffer economically if it meant Brexit could be avoided, while just 18 percent said they would be willing to see a family member lose their job if Britain eventually stayed in the EU.

Interestingly, the level of bad feeling amongst voters can be read in the finding that one in five Remain voters would like to see Brexit cause economic damage “to teach Leave voters a lesson.”

The poll has drawn a strong reaction online, with various commentators offering their own interpretation of the results.