Reading Central
- Party
- Labour
- Region
- South East
The cost of Brexit · UK-wide
Brexit's estimated hit to UK economic output (GVA) in 2023
−£188.8bn
−7.7% of output
That's about £2,835 for every person in the UK, compared with an estimate of where the economy would have been without Brexit.
Source: Brexit Cost Project (Alabrese, Edenhofer, Fetzer and Wang, 2026), real terms at 2019 prices
What rejoining could mean · UK-wide
Long-term boost to the UK economy (GDP) from EU membership
+£92bn
at least
Plus at least £43bn a year more in UK exports.
What rejoining could mean here
Estimated boost to the South East's economy (GVA) each year from EU membership
+£1.31bn
a year
Source: Frontier Economics
What voters think in Reading Central
Which EU relationship people in Reading Central most want the UK Government to propose
When they had to choose one
Support for EU membership here: In the top quarter of constituencies
About this survey
YouGov surveyed 11,927 people. The survey was carried out between 27th May – 11th June 2026.
The survey was conducted using an online interview of members of the YouGov Plc GB panel of 400,000+ individuals who have agreed to take part in surveys.
Voices from Reading Central
The UK should rejoin the EU because that's where we belong. It is part of our identity; it is important for the economy; it is good for the environment; it is essential for our security; it will enhance peace and democracy. In a world that is much more dangerous and uncertain than in 2016, we need to be as close as possible to our neighbours with whom we are interdependent and share so much. For me personally, I lost something of myself when I ceased to be a citizen of the EU, which I had been for all my adult life, and I want it back!
Robert Cottrell
9 November 2026
Which sectors could benefit most from EU membership?
Reading Central has:
people employed in manufacturing, mining and utilities
people employed in retail and wholesale
In the top quarter of constituenciespeople employed in accommodation and food services
In the top quarter of constituenciesas its biggest employing industry
Why these jobs matter for our relationship with Europe
These three industries employ people in every constituency, and each depends on how easily goods, services and people move between the UK and Europe.
Manufacturing: Frontier Economics found that 81% of the £43 billion a year growth in exports from EU membership would come from manufacturing.
Retail: Rejoining the EU would remove the customs checks and paperwork that have added red tape and costs for shops and their suppliers since Brexit, making it cheaper and simpler to stock goods from Europe.
Food services: Pubs, restaurants and hotels have struggled to fill vacancies since free movement ended. EU membership would let them recruit seasonal workers from across Europe again and help bring down costs for hospitality businesses across the country.
Sources and methodology
- GVA gap caused by Brexit: Brexit Cost Project
- People employed by industry and biggest employing industry: Census 2021, Office for National Statistics
- People employed by industry in Scotland: Scotland's Census 2022, National Records of Scotland
- Support for full EU membership: YouGov for Best for Britain
- Regional GVA boost: Frontier Economics for Best for Britain
- Postcode lookup: postcodes.io, using ONS data
- MP details and photos: UK Parliament Members API
Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Contains Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right 2026. Contains NRS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.