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More than 50 per cent of people believe that the UK was wrong to leave the EU seven years on from the referendum, according to a new poll.
Based on a survey of 1,525 adults and carried out at the start of June, the poll found that 34 per cent still believe that Brexit was the correct decision.
The findings, published by the Tony Blair Institute and carried out by Deltapoll, also suggest that 18 per cent of Leave voters now believe that the decision was wrong.
Nearly 80 per cent believe that the UK should have a closer relationship with the EU in the future, with 43 per cent wanting the UK to rejoin the EU and 13 per cent preferring a return to the single market only.
The poll found just over a fifth of people support a closer relationship with the EU, although not as a member or as part of the single market.
The data forms part of a new report, which considers how the UK can improve its post-Brexitrelationship with the EU.
Authors Anton Spisak and Christos Tsoulakis also caution that the “views of those who voted in the 2016 referendum do not appear to have changed dramatically”.
“Instead, a key factor in this change is the attitudes of those respondents aged between 18 and 24 who did not vote in 2016 but largely consider the decision to leave as wrong.
“Most of the shift appears attributable to younger people entering the electorate rather than a significant portion of those who voted Leave changing their minds,” the report says.
Among the proposals set out by the institute include encouraging the Government to commit to a voluntary alignment with EU regulations on goods, including product rules and food safety standards.
The Sir Tony Blair-backed think tank suggests this could be a precursor to negotiations with the bloc on closer regulatory alignment on sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures.
The report also suggests linking the UK and the EU’s emissions trading systems, as well as agreeing an reciprocal exchange scheme for young people while also improving mobility for business people.
It also calls for a so-called “strategic pillar” within the current trade agreement that would act as the basis for a joint framework on foreign policy and defence.
Spisak, head of political leadership at the institute, said: “Our polling shows that there is a large majority of the British public who recognise that Brexit in its current form isn’t working and would like to see the UK moving closer to the EU.
“This creates a substantial political space to move the debate forward from refighting the old battles about whether Brexit was right or wrong, to discussing what an improved future relationship with the EU should look like.
“The EU will always remain a key strategic ally, and it is absurd that the bloc has deeper trading arrangements with Israel and Georgia, better regulatory recognition on food-safety standards with Canada and New Zealand, and deeper mechanisms for political co-operation with nations including Australia and Japan.
“Any future British government that wants to improve the relationship with the EU will need a carefully considered strategic plan – and make a clear-eyed offer to the other side. Asking the EU nicely cannot succeed as a negotiating strategy.”
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Most people think UK was wrong to leave EU, according to Tony Blair Institute

HMRC figures out today show the tax authority believes small businesses are now responsible for 56% of the UK’s ‘tax gap’ – a total of £20.2bn in a single year*, says multinational law firm Pinsent Masons.
This figure has now risen for four consecutive years. Small businesses were only believed to be responsible for 40% of the tax gap in 2017/18 – a total of £12.8bn.
Steven Porter, Partner and Head of Tax Disputes and Investigations at Pinsent Masons, says: “HMRC is really shifting its attention to small businesses. It has worked hard to reduce the amount of tax that goes unpaid from large businesses and high net worth individuals – but it still has a lot of work to do on SMEs.”
“HMRC’s focus on large businesses and wealthy individuals means that small businesses get less attention. Investigations into small businesses anecdotally often take longer to complete and problems can persist for years.”
“For example, there are cases of small businesses continuing to use tax avoidance schemes for years after they were virtually wiped out among large businesses and high net worths.”
“Small businesses that aren’t tax compliant should not be surprised if they are investigated by HMRC over the next couple of years. That’s clearly the direction that HMRC looks set to go into based on these figures. Getting out ahead of that problem by taking professional advice would be a very good idea at this point.”
Pinsent Masons adds that the overall tax gap for the UK held steady at 4.8% of all tax theoretically due, the same figure as last year.
The tax gap measures the difference between the amount of tax which should, in theory, be collected by HMRC and what is actually collected. Much of the gap will relate to avoidance and evasion.
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HMRC says small business are now responsible for 56% of the UK’s ‘tax gap’

The economy is at a greater risk of falling into a recession in the year ahead as investors expect interest rates to rise to the highest level since 2000 in an effort to quell inflation.
The Bank of England sprang a surprise with a bumper half-point interest rate rise, with financial markets expecting at least three more increases before the end of the year to force down inflation. Money markets expect borrowing costs to peak at 6.1 per cent by the end of the year, a level of tightening economists warned would risk plunging the economy into a downturn.
George Buckley, chief UK economist at Nomura, said there was now a “bigger risk that, in the words of Milton Friedman, the Bank ends up being the ‘fool in the shower’ and hikes too much, requiring a swift correction should recession ensue”.
Andrew Bailey, governor of the Bank, said that the aggressive action against inflation was not designed to “precipitate a recession . . . We’ve got an economy that is much stronger and more resilient than we expected it to be. Part of that is because energy prices have come down so much, which is good news. So we’re not expecting and we’re not desiring a recession. But we will do what is necessary to bring inflation down to target.”
The Bank’s ratesetting monetary policy committee warned that inflation would not come down as rapidly as it has surged in the past year, as wage growth and the prices of goods and services had risen far more than the Bank had expected in recent months.
Bailey has come under fire from critics for being too sanguine over the risks that high inflation could become embedded in the economy. The Bank’s base rate has been lifted from 0.1 per cent to 5 per cent over the past 17 months.
There was a muted market reaction to the interest rate decision, with UK government bond prices falling slightly and the pound losing 0.2 per cent against the dollar to hit $1.27. Gilts become less attractive for bondholders in an environment of rising interest rates, as high inflation reduces the real value of coupons for investors.
The FTSE 100 closed down 57.15 points, or 0.8 per cent, at 7,502.03 and the FTSE 250, which is a better reflection of the UK economy, fell by 1.3 per cent, or 243.48 points, to 18,327.97.
Lee Hardman, currency analyst at MUFG, the Japanese bank, said the pound could weaken further if the country’s growth prospects darkened. Britain has avoided falling into a recession this year, but is barely generating growth above 0 per cent. If growth did hold up and the dollar continued to weaken, the pound could touch $1.30 this year, Hardman said.
There are tentative signs that inflationary pressures are beginning to subside and the economy is slowing. A measure of producer prices inflation slipped to the lowest level in two years last month, suggesting that business costs were no longer rising at a rapid pace. There is also evidence that banks and lenders are beginning to tighten up on consumer credit and households have begun to exhaust savings built up during the pandemic.
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Recession fears mount after rate rise

New data out today from HMRC today showed the estimate of the tax gap across all taxes and duties administered by the tax authority to be £35.8bn or 4.8% of theoretical tax liabilities. .
The tax gap is the difference between the amount of tax that should, in theory, be paid to HMRC, and what is actually paid.
Dominic Arnold, tax partner at Evelyn Partners, the leading integrated wealth management and professional services group, comments: “The compliant majority of taxpayers expect HMRC to minimise the tax gap as they ultimately are the ones that bear the cost. Taxpayers want a tax authority which is properly resourced, accessible, efficient and that deals with the non-compliant appropriately. HMRC’s latest tax gap analysis shows there’s still more work to be done.
“Small businesses continue to make up the biggest proportion of the tax gap at 56% (£20.2bn) with wealthy individuals at a much lower 5% (£1.7bn). Direct taxes such as income tax and corporation tax make up around two thirds of the tax gap with VAT at 5%.
“Underlying behaviours driving the tax gap show a marked increase in taxpayers failing to take reasonable care, with tax evasion and the hidden economy making up 20% of the tax HMRC estimates it did not collect. Tax avoidance related underpayments remain static at 4%.
“Despite the long-term downward trend, the tax gap has remained doggedly static in recent years and in monetary terms has returned to pre-pandemic levels. Although it remains at a low level, it is against a backdrop of record post pandemic tax receipts, fuelled in part by fiscal drag as many tax allowances and reliefs have been reduced or not increased in line with inflation. In 2022/2023, tax receipts as a percentage of GDP were at a 20 year high of 31.4%.
“To reduce this gap HMRC needs more resources and effective compliance programmes to tackle those who don’t play by the rules. A recent NAO report suggested that HMRC compliance yield plummeted during the pandemic by a staggering £9bn and concluded ‘It seems likely that many more non-compliant taxpayers will escape paying their fair share of tax potentially undermining the sense of fairness on which the system relies.’
“Those trying to get it right have also been badly affected by HMRC’s performance in dealing with telephone calls and postal correspondence and this has now been compounded by a decision to close the Self Assessment Helpline in summer 2023,
“Closing the Self Assessment helpline, even for a relatively short period, flies in the face of trying to better help taxpayers, particularly small businesses, get things right. Redirecting people to online resources will only help so many and the alternative of writing to HMRC risks joining a much bigger queue. ”
“Making Tax Digital programme is a transformational project aimed at improving the standard of record-keeping in UK businesses.
“The Making Tax Digital programme which aims to help businesses reduce errors in their tax records through digital record-keeping has been beset with delays since it was first announced in 2015 and the original fully implementation date of 2020 is now likely to be 2027. HMRC cannot begin to reap the full benefits of the programme until then.
“With the number of enquiries from HMRC now expected to escalate significantly, taxpayers who are contacted by the HMRC should consider getting professional tax advice to ensure their affairs are in order. Getting advice when dealing with an enquiry is usually sensible and ensures it’s dealt with correctly and quickly.”
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HMRC’s tax gap for financial year 2021 to 2022 increases by £3.8bn

A fresh round of rail strikes is set to disrupt national networks during July, after the RMT union announced that 20,000 workers would stage three days of walkouts.
The announcement dashes any hopes of an imminent resolution to a bitter labour dispute that has caused frequent disruption to rail lines across the country during 2023.
The RMT said train operators had failed to make a new pay offer and that members working for 14 rail companies would go on strike as a result, on 20, 22 and 29 July.
RMT general secretary, Mick Lynch, said the new strikes, part of continued labour action by the union, would “show the country just how important railway staff are to the running of the rail industry.
“My team of negotiators and I are available 24/7 for talks with the train operating companies and government,” he said.
“Yet quite incredibly neither party has made any attempt whatsoever to arrange any meetings or put forward a decent offer that can help us reach a negotiated solution.
“The government continues to shackle the companies and will not allow them to put forward a package that can settle this dispute.
The announcement marks a fresh chapter in a bitter and long-running labour dispute.
RMT members have voted 3 times to take strike action over the last 12 months while train drivers’ union Aslef has also staged walkouts.
Rail services across England came to a halt earlier this month, after 12,000 drivers went on strike for the second time in a week amid a long-running dispute with operating companies over pay and conditions. Further labour action is expected in July, after Aslef announced a week-long overtime ban.
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RMT announces three days of rail strikes in July as dispute continues

A startup that uses soundwaves to move cells in petri dishes has won £10,000 and a year’s membership at tech incubator SETsquared Bristol.
Dr Luke Cox’s startup Impulsonics makes growing cells in the lab cheaper, faster and more reliable, by automating processes still done by hand in all but the biggest labs.
Impulsonics’ patented technology “gently moves cells” using sound waves, “reducing the cost by an order of magnitude” without breaking the cells’ sterile housing, according to Dr Cox.
Cell cultures growing in petri dishes and well plates must be moved every three days – Dr Cox says his technology could reduce the equipment costs involved in automating this process by 90%.
Last night he won the top prize at the University of Bristol’s New Enterprise Competition (NEC), which each year awards £50,000 in funding and prizes to entrepreneurial students, staff and alumni.
Other winners included an app that helps sports teams organise themselves, and a startup tackling child illiteracy with an artistically impressive computer game and board game.
Dr Cox, who is Impulsonics’ CEO, said: “With so many impressive businesses entering the NEC it’s fantastic to have taken the top prize. It’s also a real vindication of everything we’re doing at Impulsonics.
“We’ve talked to more than 150 people in the biotech industry to find out exactly what they need, and we’ve already had several expressions of interest in our technology.
“To help develop our first product we’re currently raising in our first funding round – so get in touch if you want to be involved.”
In the longer term, Impulsonics’ technology will build clusters of cells that mimic human organs, helping to reduce the cost of testing drugs in the pre-clinical stage.
Dr Cox joined the University of Bristol as an undergraduate in 2013 and went on to complete a PhD under the supervision of Prof Bruce Drinkwater and Prof Anthony Croxford, who have both built successful ‘spinouts’ (businesses based on university research).
Both are professors in the University’s Ultrasonics and Non-destructive Testing lab, where Dr Cox spun out his sound wave research. They have also been working closely with The Armstrong Group in Bristol Medical School.
Prof Michele Barbour, the University’s Pro Vice-Chancellor for Enterprise and Innovation, who was on the NEC judging panel, said: “Seeing the creative and genuinely innovative ideas brought to the NEC by our university community is a real highlight of the year.
“It is always incredibly hard to pick the winners, but Luke’s research-informed technology really blew us away. I’ve done plenty of cell biology in my time and I very much recognise the barriers and problems Impulsonics’ technology seeks to address.
“There’s no doubt in my mind that cell biology will be much, much more automated in future – and I would love for a Bristol spinout to lead the way in that laboratory revolution. ”
Impulsonics was awarded £10,000, plus pro bono legal support from VWV, SETsquared Bristol’s in-house legal team. The year’s membership at SETsquared Bristol includes tailored business support, coaching and training, a network of advisers, mentors and investors and a community of inspiring startups to work alongside.
Kimberley Brook, Director at SETsquared Bristol, said: “We are always impressed by the quality of student enterprises who come through this competition, and this year has been no different. All of the finalists had a unique proposition and will receive some level of follow up support from the judging panel.
“We are delighted to offer both Impulsonics and Remap a place on our incubation programme to take their companies to the next level.”
Other winners on the night were:
Wonderspun – £5,000
A program combining traditional board games with digital techniques to promote reading among schoolchildren. By immersing children in a rich fantasy world, it sparks their imagination and enthusiasm for literature, fostering a love for reading.
Founder: Gareth Osborne, PhD in Theatre and Performance
Armago – £2,500
A platform for managing university sports clubs, including membership, scheduling and communication. It simplifies administrative tasks, empowering club leaders to create thriving and vibrant sports communities on campus.
Founder: Mark Bushby, MSci in Geography with Innovation

Armago won £2,000 from the New Enterprise Competition People’s Choice Award, which is decided by a public vote.

Elevate – £2,500
An app providing mentor support for international students planning to study abroad. Elevate connects students with experienced mentors, offering personalised guidance, resources and advice for a smooth transition and successful academic journey in a foreign country.
Founders: Anuradha Kamble, MSc in Aerospace Engineering, and Pravin Kamble, PhD in Aerospace Engineering
Remap Mental Fitness – 6-months SETsquared Bristol membership
A platform promoting mental wellbeing and physical health. Through educational materials, interactive workshops and personalised support, it empowers individuals to proactively prioritise mental wellness, fostering resilience and overall well-being.
Founders: Maya Raichoora, an MSci in Geography with Innovation graduate and Ben Wainwright, an MEng in Computer Science with Innovation graduate
The New Enterprise Competition is run by the Basecamp Enterprise Team within the University of Bristol Careers Service.
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£10,000 for startup moving cells with soundwaves

Hundreds of businesses including high-street heavyweights WH Smith, M&S and Argos have been named and shamed after being fined for failing to pay workers the minimum wage.
Firms from sole traders to household names were ordered to repay 63,000 staff lost wages totalling close to £5m, after breaching National Minimum Wage (NMW) law.
WH Smith topped the list for failing to pay more than £1m to over 17,000 workers, closely followed by Lloyds Pharmacy, which had to repay over £900,000 to almost 8,000 of its staff.
Supermarket and clothing retailer M&S failed to pay more than 5,000 employees almost £580,000, while Argos, owned by Sainsbury’s, repaid over 10,000 workers over £480,000.
Bingo operator Buzz Group also failed to pay close to £320,000 to more than 3,000 staff.
Small business minister Kevin Hollinrake said: “Paying the legal minimum wage is non-negotiable and all businesses, whatever their size, should know better than to short-change hard-working staff.”
The 202 businesses were cumulatively fined almost a further £7m, payable to HMRC, in what ministers said was a “clear message from government that no employer is exempt”.
39 per cent of firms docked employees’ pay while a separate 39 per cent failed to pay the right amount for work hours, and a further 21 per cent of employers paid the wrong apprenticeship rate.
It came after a 9.7 per cent rise in the statutory living wage and minimum wage came into force for nearly 3m workers across the UK in April 2023.
The repayments and fines followed HMRC investigations concluding between 2017 to 2019.
“We’re sending a clear message to the minority who ignore the law: pay your staff properly or you’ll face the consequences,” Hollinrake added.
Low Pay Commission chairman Bryan Sanderson said: “The minimum wage acts as a guarantee to ensure all workers without exception receive a decent standard of pay.
“Where employers break the law, they not only do a disservice to their staff but also undermine fair competition between businesses.”
A spokesperson for WH Smith said: “Following a review with HMRC in 2019, it was brought to our attention that we had misinterpreted how statutory wage regulations applied to uniform policy for staff working in our stores.
“This was a genuine error and was rectified immediately with all colleagues reimbursed in 2019.”
A Sainsbury’s spokesperson said: “In 2018, a payroll error was identified which affected some Argos store colleagues and drivers, dating back to 2012, before Sainsbury’s acquisition of Argos.
“We launched an immediate investigation, alongside HMRC, and put this right at the time. Since then we have completed the integration of Argos onto Sainsbury’s systems which will prevent this from happening again.
“Since acquiring Argos, we have made significant investment into pay and the Argos hourly rate is now aligned with Sainsbury’s, an increase of 53 per cent over the last seven years.”
An M&S spokesperson said: “Like many other organisations, M&S is only named in the NMW list because of an unintentional technical issue from over four years ago.
“This happened simply because temporary colleagues were not paid within the strict time periods specified in the regulations and this was remedied as soon as we became aware of the issue. Our minimum hourly pay has never been below national minimum wage, and no colleagues were ever underpaid because of this.”
A spokesperson for Lloyds Pharmacy said: “Lloyds Pharmacy can confirm that this relates to a historical, and unintentional, underpayment brought about by HMRC’s rules around company uniforms.
“As soon as we were made aware of it we acted quickly to notify the affected colleagues and reimburse them. We also updated our uniform policy to ensure it did not recur.
“Lloyds Pharmacy can confirm all our employees are paid above the national minimum wage and would like to take this opportunity to apologise again to any Lloyds Pharmacy colleagues who were affected, as well as reassure them of our commitment to fair and equitable pay.”
 
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WH Smith, M&S and Argos among hundreds fined for failing to pay minimum wage

Sam Wood, a final year student studying Film Production at the University of Salford and entrepreneur, has launched Salford Media Works, an all-inclusive creative content agency expected to disrupt the media and marketing sector, thanks to the support of Launch@ Salford.
Launch, Salford Business School’s purpose-built incubation space, is designed to support Salford students and graduates through the start-up phase of their business journeys. Since its inception in 2018, it has successfully provided in-depth support to 200 students to help them start a business.
Sam embarked on his entrepreneurial journey after eight years as a freelance content creator, something he started when he was just 14 years old. As a photographer and graphic designer supporting brands looking to standout in crowded marketplaces, Sam has gained valuable experience and developed a passion for delivering high-quality visual content over the years. So, when he spotted a gap in the market with clients continuously requesting recommendations for other services in the content space including video, as well as strategy and creative ideation, he spotted the opportunity for him to plug that gap.
Reflecting on the early success of Salford Media Works, Sam, said: “Thanks to the support of Launch@ Salford, establishing Salford Media Works has been an incredible experience. I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to grow my business and acquire the skills necessary for long-term success. The support I’ve received through the programme and having access to the mentors, plus other students on the cohort to bounce ideas off has been invaluable.”
Sam’s all-inclusive creative content agency is already making waves in the media and marketing world by providing comprehensive 360 visual content solutions. Salford Media Work’s commitment to covering the visual content landscape sets it apart as a one-stop-shop for clients’ creative content needs, including videography, photography, graphic design, social media management, strategy and creative ideation.
Recognising the demand for all-inclusive content solutions and campaigns, Sam is now successfully plugging what was a previously burgeoning gap in the market. He’s providing clients with a wide range of creative content options, from social media content and product demo videos to podcasts and headshots.
The agency has already achieved significant success, delivering content and campaigns for clients such as BEAR Coffee and Winncare Group.
The incubator has equipped Sam with the confidence and knowledge to navigate the challenges of growing a business, while the supportive community has provided inspiration and valuable networking opportunities.
Paul Little, Incubation Manager at Launch@ Salford, said: “We are incredibly proud of Sam. He is a shining example of the entrepreneurial spirit and creative talent we nurture here at Salford Business School. Empowering and inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs as they embark on their own start-up journeys through programmes like Launch will continue to be a focus for us.
“It’s driven, innovative and creative entrepreneurs like Sam who are instrumental to the region’s economy, so to play even a small part in their journeys is incredibly rewarding. Sam’s achievements demonstrate Salford Media Works’ dedication and expertise, securing prestigious clients shortly after starting his trading journey, so we can’t wait to see his business continue on this exciting upwards trajectory.”
Launch offers a wealth of resources and guidance from Salford Business School academics and Industry Fellows to help entrepreneurs turn their business ideas into reality. From support shaping their business idea and launching to market, to providing guidance on securing investment, generating sales/revenue and marketing, the programme helps nurture future business leaders.
Sam concluded: “I have some ambitious growth plans for the next few years which I now have the confidence to pursue, thanks to Launch.”
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Meet the student entrepreneur revolutionising the creative content space

Start Up Loans, part of the British Business Bank, today announces Virgin StartUp and BizBritain as national Business Support Partners (BSPs).
They two organisations will work with the Start Up Loans programme to deliver funding and support for small businesses across the UK over the next two years.
The Start Up Loans scheme delivers finance to small businesses through its partners at a fixed interest rate of 6% and provides mentoring to recipients. Since inception, the scheme has delivered more than 100,000 loans worth more than £980 million to businesses and its delivery partners (now renamed as Business Support Partners) have always been critical to its success.
Start Up Loans’ impact has been particularly noticeable among individuals who might find it difficult to secure funding from traditional lenders, which has always been a priority for the scheme. New BSPs share – and will help deliver on – the ambition of providing support tailored to all demographics in society.
Richard Bearman, Managing Director, Start Up Loans, said: “I am delighted to confirm these two appointed BSPs, who will be fundamental in delivering our ambition to provide funding to those wanting to start a business with the finance and support to do so.
“Both companies share the same passion and determination for supporting UK small businesses which is essential as business owners continue to grapple with a challenging economic landscape. They each have a fantastic track record. In the case of Virgin StartUp we know the team just recently delivered its 5,000th loan.”
Matt Gubba, CEO and Founder of BizBritain, said: “At BizBritain, we’re passionate about enabling the dreams and ambitions of UK small businesses. Our partnership with the British Business Bank is an embodiment of that passion, offering Start Up Loans that can serve as the catalyst for economic growth and innovation across the UK. In supporting these businesses, we’re investing in the future of our country, fostering job creation, and driving forward economic resilience.”
Andy Fishburn, Managing Director at Virgin StartUp, comments: “There is nothing more inspiring than listening to the ideas of new business founders who want to have a positive impact in the world. In the past 10 years, we’ve had the pleasure of supporting 5,000 founders with a Start Up Loan and we can’t think of a better way to celebrate this milestone than to announce that we will be funding many thousands more over the next few years.
“The Start Up Loan scheme makes starting a business a reality for many more would-be founders. We are proud to be part of their journey and we can’t wait to meet and support the next generation of entrepreneurs.”
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British business bank’s start up loans programme unveils Virgin Startup and BizBritain as support partners