Britain is characterised by both a pragmatic able sensibleness, and inward-looking narcissistic post-imperial nostalgia. The latter finds the EU a symbolic humiliation, the former gets on with engaging with its benefits and influencing its development. However, because of the inward-looking nature of British/English exceptionalism, visibility of the advantages of the EU, and an understanding of it and its operations, are distinctly attenuated. Reap the benefit of the single market, but still think Johnny Foreigner is somehow less than the world-straddling Empire Brit.

This means there has long been a persistent pool of resentment about the EU, and a lack of understanding of its benefits.

Calamity strikes when idiot Cameron attempts to placate the monster with a referendum. Not only does the government get a well-deserved kicking for unrelated reasons, but the Remain camp is utterly unable (unwilling?) to communicate the real and symbolic advantages of the EU.
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