UK Brexit, questions from an American

[Homeless Nutter]

I have no idea how things are in the UK except for what I see in the news. I speak as someone from a poorer EU country who feels that in the last decade my country hasn't benefited much from the EU's austerity measures and the euro crisis.

It should be noted that the UK entered the EU with specific conditions and some rules from the EU treaty don't apply to them equally (for example, they have their own currency) - I think this shows beforehand that the UK never had a huge will to enter the EU in the first place. I have no idea how British people feel.
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The British don't want to leave EU, because EU hasn't been useful up until now. They want to leave EU (well - those that do want to leave, anyway), because they wish to abandon what they perceive as a sinking ship, due to financial problems of member countries, like Greece, admission to the union of many poorer countries, like Eastern Europe ones, as well as the influx of muslim refugees.

Essentially - EU was fine and dandy as long as it was a somewhat elitist organization, helping the members to isolate themselves from the poorer parts of Europe. Now, that most of Europe is in the "club", it doesn't seem as convenient, profitable and prestigious anymore, so the idea of quitting it, "while ahead" has gained a lot of momentum - especially, that the nationalistic elements in British politics have been attaining popularity at the same time.

And of course the right-wingers hate EU, because the whole idea of integrated Europe was supposed to be an "antidote" for nationalism, that ruined most of Europe during WWII. But WWII was a long time ago and people are not scared of the next Hitler anymore. What they are scared of is poor people.