More small firms are Remainers than before Brexit vote

Most smaller companies would vote the way of the IT contracting sector – ‘Remain’ -- if the EU referendum was held today.

A poll of 956 firms shows that 56 per cent would vote to stay in the European Union if there was a re-run of the Brexit ballot, with just 32 per cent saying they would vote ‘Leave.’

Those firms now in favour of staying broadly match the chunk of the public who voted to exit the EU on June 23rd 2017 (when 51% chose Leave), shows the poll by Funding Circle (FC).

Almost 10 per cent of firms are undecided, and three per cent would ‘rather not say,’ found the peer-to-peer lender, which polled businesses which had used FC or enquired about it.

Those who abstained are a reminder that owner-managers fear there may be consequences for the way in which people voted, but the lender said most firms have just grown more resolute.

In fact, there has been a 7 per cent swing to Remain since April 2017, the lender found, and Remain would still be a majority-vote even if the ‘rather not say’ participants voted Leave too.

Equally surprising is that despite public support for prime minister’s Theresa May’s ‘Brexit means Brexit’ stance, 56% of the firms back a second referendum so they can vote on the final deal.

Of the businesses polled (the average had a turnover of £800,000 and employed six staff), 45% said that access to both or either the Customs Union and Single Market was “important”.

Exporting and importing was the main reason -- according to 57% of this group, at odds with seven per cent of the firms which said they will benefit from no longer participating in either.