An Oxfordshire village which could house more than 1,000 asylum seekers has voted overwhelmingly to become independent from the UK in a symbolic ‘referendum’
An Oxfordshire village which could house more than 1,000 asylum seekers has voted overwhelmingly to become independent from the UK in a symbolic “referendum”.
The people of Piddington have voted to secede from the UK after the Government announced plans to house 1,256 male asylum seekers at a nearby former military base.
Some 285 villagers backed “independence”, with a turnout of nearly 92%. Only 26 residents voted against the motion, with one spoiled ballot recorded.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said the Government will “of course” listen to the voices of residents in Piddington and that the the “frustration is very, very evident”. But she said ministers also did not think it’s acceptable “for all of the burden of shouldering” asylum accommodation to fall on poorer communities.
She told Sky News: “I do really understand because in my town in Wigan, we had two asylum hotels opened overnight with no consultation in the same village.
“We’ve had many many houses rented by Serco and others in order to provide asylum accommodation, and it does cause serious challenges in the community.
“What I would just gently say to the people of Piddington is: We inherited a massive asylum backlog. We are getting that backlog down. We’re speeding up the processing of claims.
“And in the meantime, we don’t think it’s acceptable for all of the burden of shouldering not just asylum accommodation but also many other forms of temporary accommodation to fall on poorer communities.
“That’s what we saw under the previous government, because accommodation is cheap in many, not just towns, but in particular, postcode areas, people who live in more deprived communities have had to put up with almost every other in some every other house in some instances turned into HMOs.”
The result was announced by a returning officer to an audience of dozens of journalists and residents gathered outside the village hall on Wednesday morning.
A pennant reading Battle for Britain 2026 also hangs outside the hall, alongside another commemorating the date of the Second World War military campaign, the Battle of Britain, on September 15 1940.
This is a Breaking News story. You’ll be more likely to see our stories when any big news breaks in future by simply by clicking this link . You can also join The Mirror’s WhatsApp Community or follow us on Google News , Flipboard , Apple News , TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads – or visit The Mirror homepage .