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Brexiteers still think immigration the most important issue in EU talks – but half would accept a version of free movement if benefits were slashed

72 per cent of people who voted leave last year rate immigration as important or very important

BREIXTEERS still think immigration is the most important issue in EU talks - but half would accept a version of free movement if benefits were slashed.

A whopping 72 per cent of people who voted leave last year rate immigration as important or very important in a fresh poll, but three in four remainers said it wasn't important at all.

 UK border - Brexiteers still think immigration is the most important issue
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UK border - Brexiteers still think immigration is the most important issueCredit: Getty Images

As David Davis and the EU's Michel Barnier undergo another round of talks in Brussels this week, fresh research shows that some Brexit-backers might be willing to swap European free movement for access to the single market.

But most people are ONLY interested in a trade off if there are tough limits on movement - or if they had benefits limited for new arrivals, the YouGov research for Best for Britain showed.

This would be similar to the deal that David Cameron struck with the EU before the referendum.

55 per cent of leave voters said they would be happy with a system which sends EU migrants home if they didn't find work.

This polling backs up separate research commissioned by former PM Tony Blair showed that 75 per cent of people thought Britain's immigration policy was too open.

However, most people in that survey chose a so-called "hard Brexit" as opposed to a soft one or second referendum.

And more than half of people said "Brexit must mean Brexit", even if it means Britain leaves the EU with no deal, the research said.

This flies in the face of comments by the former Prime Minister yesterday where he said he thought public opinion was moving against our EU exit.

The Remainer urged voters to think again, telling Sky's Sophy Ridge on Sunday: "I think every day is bringing us fresh evidence that it's going damage economically, politically."

The news also comes as reports showed the UK would need a new city the size of Birmingham every two years for migrants if we go for a 'soft Brexit'.

 David Davis has arrived in Brussels for another round of Brexit talks
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David Davis has arrived in Brussels for another round of Brexit talksCredit: EPA

Today the Brexit secretary will meet with EU negotiators in Brussels to carry on the process of discussing our exit from the bloc.

He is hoping to win round Mr Barnier over Britain’s plan to guarantee the future rights of European nationals living in the UK amid deep divisions back home.

The pair have appeared alongside each other at the EU’s headquarters as they begin another gruelling round of discussions on our EU exit this week.

Mr Davis said they made a “good start” at last month’s preliminary talks – but it was now time to “get to the nitty-gritty”.

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