Why did they vote for it?
Some of these people think this means they can influence the country more for their own gain; some think it protects them from people influencing the country unduly.
Either way, its hard to argue against brexit having given the UK has more on paper long term control, and its hard to argue against brexit being costly both theoretically and in practice, and its hard to argue that the UK wouldn't currently be better off in the EU. Its hard, but people are doing it.
It is also a matter of class identity. Being a remainer is a lot posher than being a leaver.
I live in EU, but I am not originally from Europe. I have a EU citizenship at this point though.
That said, I am staunchly pro EU, and would always vote for further integration. In truth, I even think that EU federalization would be a good idea.
I have no idea why immigrants of all people would have a nationalistic stance on this.
It is necessary. Having a common currency without a common budget has been a disaster.
> I have no idea why immigrants of all people would have a nationalistic stance on this.
How is it a nationalistic stance? You are preferring one identity over another - either way is just as nationalistic.
Immigrants from outside the EU do not like immigrants from the EU being given preference from their countries of origin, often places with strong historical links to Britain, where English is widely spoken, etc.
English first, European second. Indeed, the people of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland likely feel the same, and it’s unclear why that union should be considered worthwhile when a larger one is not.
> its hard to feel European if you are not of European origin.
All British-born people are of European origin. That is a simple geographic fact.
Lots of people are British born who are not of European ancestry. Unless you are defining "European origin" to mean "born in Europe" in which case your claim is tautologous. The other possibility is that you are defining "British born" to mean ethnically white British which does not really need any comment.
Even if it is not what you meant, European has strong implications of European ethnicity.
I would invert your question. Why do many people consider the larger union worthwhile but the smaller (and more workable one) not worthwhile? The only areas outside London that had a majority remain vote, are those where the vote was swung by Scottish or Welsh nationalists. In general the supporters of one union oppose the other.
Your statistics are also trivially falsifiable by simple counterexample - the town I lived and voted in during the 2016 EU membership referendum is not London, or the London area, is in England, and voted remain by 57.9% to 42.1%. The major city next door did so by an even more overwhelming margin: 61.7% to 38.3%. Not too many Welsh or Scottish nationalists in either…
So you’ll no doubt forgive me for not taking you too seriously when you spout horse shit dressed up as thoughtfulness.
By the way, I do indeed consider anyone born within the borders of the geographic boundary of Europe to be European, just like anyone born in the United States of America is American. The only arguments against such ideas are dog whistles (or let’s face it, full on soccer whistles at this point).