The #Brexit players you should know

While many Americans have avoided #Brexit news coverage like the plague, all that changed on Friday morning with news that Britain voted to pull out of the EU.

As you frantically scroll through your news feed trying to figure out what Brexit means for your retirement portfolio, travel plans, and overall the security of the United States, you're might be wondering, who are these people?  Boris? Gove? What?

Here’s a quick rundown of the main players:

Prime Minister David Cameron wanted to stay in the EU

Cameron, who had campaigned to remain in the 28-member EU resigned shortly after the final result from Thursday's vote was announced. Cameron, who is the leader of the ruling Conservative Party, said he will go by October after a period of transition to calm anxieties. He had long warned that leaving the EU would likely harm the economy and weaken the country.

"Leave" the EU players: 

Boris Johnson, former mayor of London and current member of Parliament 

After leaving the mayor's office last month, Johnson positioned himself as a leading voice in the campaign to leave the EU, and may have his eye on becoming the next Prime Minister. Johnson and his “leave” camp were criticized this week by London's new mayor, Sadiq Khan, who wanted to remain in the EU. Khan said the pro-Brexit campaign had become “project hate” about immigration.

Justice Secretary Michael Gove

Gove has been one of the most outspoken politicians around the official “leave” campaign. In the past few weeks, Cameron has slammed Gove for ignoring economists who warned that leaving the EU could have dire economic consequences for the country. Some believe that he could be in the running to replace Cameron as the next Prime Minister.

Nigel Farage, member of the European Parliament and leader of the Independence Party

Farage said he hopes the result of the Brexit vote 'brings down' the European Union. Farage and his party oppose the wave of migrants pouring into Europe from the Middle East and North Africa, a crisis that became a major reason cited by those favoring an exit from the EU, which sets immigration policy for member nations.

Iain Duncan Smith, member of parliament and former leader of the Conservative Party

One of the pillars of the "leave" campaign is opposition to mass immigration from other countries in the EU to Britain. In an op-ed in Newsweek, Duncan Smith highlighted that the country was at a disadvantage with its current immigration policies.

“The British people are subject to the decisions of a supranational and highly politicized court,” he wrote. “They watch as jobs in their neighborhoods are taken by Romanians, Bulgarians, and other Europeans.”