Lisa Nandy issues blunt reply after village votes to quit UK in migrant row
Cabinet Minister Lisa Nandy has warned Labour will continue with its policy of moving asylum seekers into wealthier areas after an Oxfordshire village voted overwhelmingly to become an independent state 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.
TL;DR
- Piddington villagers voted nearly unanimously to become an independent state in protest of plans to house 1,256 male asylum seekers nearby.
- Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy stated Labour's policy of moving asylum seekers into wealthier areas will continue.
- Nandy argued that the burden of asylum accommodation should not fall solely on poorer communities.
- Residents expressed concerns about declining property values, cancelled house deals, and banks pulling mortgages due to the plans.
- Concerns were raised about the safety of asylum seekers due to a lack of pedestrian access and the risks of walking along a busy, unlit road.
- Further issues cited include potential surface water flooding, inadequate drainage, and insufficient power supply at the proposed site.