70% of UK Parliamentarians Believe May Did Poor Job of Negotiating Brexit - Poll

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - A total of 70 percent of UK parliamentarians believe that UK Prime Minister Theresa May had done a poor job of negotiating the country's withdrawal from the European Union, with 47 percent of members of her ruling Conservative Party expressing criticism toward her efforts, a fresh survey showed on Wednesday.

The latest edition of the annual survey of UK parliamentarians' views on Brexit by the UK in a Changing Europe initiative and the Queen Mary University of London public research institution was carried out in November and December.

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According to the survey, 60 percent of members of parliament had concerns over the "genuine difficulties in finding a solution to what happens to the Northern Irish border after Brexit." In this respect, Conservatives were far less pessimistic than members of the opposition Labour Party, with 30 and 88 percent from the respective parties voicing these concerns.

At the same time, 33 percent of the full parliament, including 55 percent of Conservatives and just 12 percent of Labour members, believed that there were "viable solutions" to what happens to the border, while "the difficulties are being exaggerated as a negotiating tactic."

A total of 60 percent of UK parliamentarians thought that the general economic situation in the country would improve over the next decade, while 22 percent felt the opposite, and 7 percent thought there would be no changes. Conservative lawmakers were more optimistic than those from the Labour Party, with 83 percent of ruling party members believing the economy would improve.

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The parliamentarians were also asked if they believed the United Kingdom could rejoin the European Union within 20 years after the planned withdrawal. While no Conservatives felt this could happen, 50 percent of Labour lawmakers believed this was possible.

The United Kingdom is set to leave the European Union on March 29, with the parliament yet to vote on the final departure deal.