I think more that he decided to back what he thought would be the winning horse, then amended his previously stated views to fit with that new stance. It was more about getting into power than trying to represent what the public actually wanted.

He's a very charismatic person, with a certain level of perceived credibility, and I really do wonder if the referendum might have gone the other way had he decided to stick with his previous convictions the the EU could be good for Britain.