Half of older Leave voters would accept seeing a relative lose their job for Brexit, finds YouGov

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Half of Leave voters aged 65 or over would accept losing their job, or seeing a relative lose their job, as a price worth paying for leaving the European Union, according to a new poll from YouGov.

With concern growing over the economic consequences of leaving the EU, the polling company found that 61 per cent of Leave voters believe that “significant damage to the British economy to be a price worth paying” for Brexit, while just 20 per cent of Leave voters said it would not be, and 19 per cent do not know.

Overall 39 per cent of Leave voters said they would still back Brexit even if it meant losing their job, or seeing a member of their family lose their job, with 38 per cent saying they would not and 23 per cent unsure.

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The figure was highest among Conservative voters, with 47 per cent saying a family member losing their job would be a price worth paying, 31 per cent saying it would not be, and 22 per cent saying ‘don’t know’.

YouGov found that 34 per cent of Remain voters agreed that “significant damage to the UK economy would be a price worth paying if it meant that Britain stayed in the European Union”, with 38 per cent opposed and 27 per cent saying they did not know.

In Scotland 42 per cent of Remain voters said economic damage would be acceptable if it meant the UK staying in the EU.

It found that 19 per cent of UK Remain voters agreed that “significant damage to the British economy after leaving the European Union” would be worthwhile, to “teach Leave politicians and Leave voters a lesson”, with 69 per cent saying it would not be a price worth paying and 18 per cent saying “don’t know”.

The poll was based in a sample of 4,918 voters, with 551 aged 18-24, 1,961 aged 25-49, 1,302 aged 50-64 and 1,104 aged 65 or over.