Piddington village votes for independence to protest asylum seeker housing

Residents of Piddington, a small village in Oxfordshire, have voted in a non-binding referendum to declare independence from the United Kingdom. The protest follows a Home Office plan to use a nearby Ministry of Defence base in Bicester to house approximately 1,256 single male asylum seekers.

The referendum, held on September 15, saw a 92% turnout, with 285 residents voting in favor of independence and 26 against. While the vote holds no legal authority, village council chairman Tim McNally stated the move is intended to send a signal to the government. The village has even discussed forming a ‘principality’ with its own identity cards.

Local residents expressed significant concerns regarding safety, infrastructure, and the demographic shift, with some women reporting fears for their security. Meanwhile, the UK government has maintained that it will not reconsider the plan, with Prime Minister Andy Burnham stating that decisions must be made fairly across the country to meet commitments to move asylum seekers out of hotels.

The movement appears to be gaining traction elsewhere; over 500 local councillors across the UK are reportedly considering similar referendums. Villages such as Barnham in Suffolk and Crowborough in Essex are reportedly looking into following Piddington’s example to protest migrant resettlement plans.