17 Jul BFPG’s 2025 Annual Survey of UK Public Opinion on Foreign Policy and Global Affairs
BFPG’s 2025 Annual Survey of UK Public Opinion on Foreign Policy, the seventh iteration of the Survey which began in 2019, finds that public support for the ‘special relationship’ has collapsed, with President Trump seen to be undermining the UK’s national interests. Instead, Britons are shifting back towards Europe and the EU. Not only is support for closer cooperation with the EU now broad and deep, even among Leave voters, but the majority of Britons now identify as European, as the war in Ukraine, challenges over Brexit, and the retrenchment of the United States all push the UK back towards its European partners. In this shift, Britons hope to find both economic and security solutions to the challenges facing the UK, as Britons adopt an increasingly self-interested approach to foreign policy, on everything from international development to trade, partnerships and global leadership.
But while Britons’ foreign policy approach is increasingly hard-nosed it is, nevertheless, clear that the public isn’t aware of, nor prepared for, the scale of the national security challenge the UK faces. Understanding of the level of security risk is weak and support for defence spending is very superficial, buckling under the realities of spending trade-offs. This challenge is particularly acute among young people, who are increasingly disengaged from the conflict in Ukraine and relatively unfazed by the potential risks posed by China. As the UK debates its future security posture and the need for ‘war-readiness’, our survey shows that public buy-in is far from guaranteed. There is a clear need for greater transparency and public engagement on what national security requires in a rapidly changing world.
Read the Full Report
Read the Executive Summary
Key Findings
The Not-So ‘Special’ Relationship: Trust in the United States has fallen from 53% in 2024 to just 38% in 2025, with more Britons now distrusting (41%) than trusting (38%) the United States to act responsibly in the world. President Trump’s actions are also now more widely seen as a major threat to UK national security (33%) than terrorism (32%) or the rise of China (25%).
Britons Embrace the EU: In turn, Britons are shifting back towards the EU, with 62% of Britons believing the UK should move closer to the EU as a result of President Trump’s actions. Support for cooperation with the EU is wide and deep, with a strong majority of Britons supporting agreements made at the UK-EU Summit to strengthen defence and security cooperation (83%), reduce trade barriers around food and drink (79%), and enable ePassport gate access for Britons travelling in Europe (78%). Even among Leave voters, support is strong – 78% of Leave voters support recent agreements to strengthen defence and security cooperation with the EU.
Superficial Support for Defence Spending: 71% of Britons support increasing defence spending to 3% of GDP either now or in the next few years. However, this support collapses when trade-offs are introduced – 60% of Britons oppose increasing defence spending if it requires cuts to the NHS, 47% if it requires cuts to education, and 46% if it requires cuts to welfare.
Generational Divides Over Foreign Policy: There are growing generational divisions over foreign and security policy and while 46% of over-66s believe supporting Ukraine should be a top priority for the UK, only 17% of 18-25-year-olds do. Younger Britons are also far less concerned about China, with only 41% of 18-25-year-olds distrusting China, compared to 81% of over-66s.
The full report includes analysis of a wide range of other key foreign policy areas as well, including international development, free trade, international partnerships and much more besides.
Media Enquiries:
eliza.keogh@bfpg.co.uk | 07884 375018
