MORE than 60 per cent of Leave voters say “significant” economic damage caused by Brexit would be worth it, research has found.

A poll by YouGov exposes “extremism” on both sides of the argument.

It found just one in five Leave backers say Brexit is not worth a major economic hit, while almost 40 per cent said losing their job — or a family member losing theirs — as a result of Brexit is “a price worth paying”.

The level rises to 70 per cent of those aged 65 or over.

Meanwhile, a “significant minority” (35 per cent) of Remainers say significant economic damage would be acceptable if it means staying in the bloc, while 20 per cent said this would be justified “to teach Leave politicians and Leave voters a lesson” for their decision.

The data was published yesterday as former Tory leader William Hague backed Chancellor Philip Hammond on a transitional deal to retain single market access until 2022.

Theresa May’s spokesperson ruled out such an approach in a statement on Monday in what has been seen as further evidence of a serious divide in the cabinet.

Writing in the Daily Telegraph, the ex-Foreign Secretary, who is now an advisor to the Citigroup bank, said Hammond’s plan could stop Brexit becoming a “disaster”.

The peer, who backed continued membership, claimed Hammond had been trying to persuade Cabinet colleagues that the UK should remain in the single market and customs union during the “implementation phase”, which could last until 2022.

Arguing that Brexit could become the “greatest economic, diplomatic and constitutional muddle in the modern history of the UK, with unknowable consequences”, he said his former colleague deserved “great credit” for offering a potential solution.

Hague said: “He has evidently been trying to persuade his cabinet colleagues that we should be seeking to stay in the EU single market and customs union during a transition and ‘implementation’ phase lasting to 2022, followed by a free trade deal with our former partners after that.

“This is seen by longstanding advocates of leaving as a ‘soft’ position or a climbdown.

“But in reality it is a plan to rescue Brexit from an approaching disaster.”

At a press conference in Brazil, Hammond acknowledged the “debate” about the nature of a transitional deal, saying: “There’s a discussion going on about how we then move from full membership of the European Union to a future relationship with the European Union and that’s a debate, a discussion that will go on through this negotiations.”

He added that the UK hopes talks on a post-Brexit EU trade deal will begin this autumn.

Hammond said: “Of course it is then possible for us as a sovereign nation to negotiate future relations with the European Union, and that’s the process that we hope to begin this autumn — of discussion with our European Union partners about the future trading relationship with them.

“But that trading relationship will not be based on membership of the European Union, it will be based on treaty, just like a future trading relationship with Brazil will be based on treaty.”

Meanwhile, Labour’s Chuka Umunna called on the government to come out fighting yesterday over competition from other countries to become the new homes of the European Banking Authority and European Medicines Agency.

Both are currently based in London and Ireland is amongst the countries to make formal bids.

Ummuna said: “Hard Brexit is responsible for the grotesque sight of 1000 UK jobs being auctioned away across the EU, with cities queuing up to take high-quality jobs away from Britain.

“Voting Leave has led to Britain losing control of regulation in medicines and banking and the jobs that come with them. The government should be keeping Britain in the single market and fighting hard to retain these agencies in the UK.”