I'm from the UK. I remember when it happened. I think so many people underestimated how stupid and lost people felt and decided that this was a good action to use.
Childhood friend of mine said something like, my dad had his own house, granddad had his own house ... these immigrants come and live two families to a house ... I don't want that for my kid.
I was like, I get it ... but this doesn't solve the problem you're looking for ... he needed more Gary's Economics than Nigel Farage.