Piddington village in Oxfordshire votes to leave UK over asylum seeker plans
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”.
TL;DR
- Piddington, Oxfordshire, held a symbolic referendum on leaving the UK.
- The vote was prompted by plans to house 1,256 male asylum seekers at a nearby former military base.
- 285 villagers voted for independence, with 26 against.
- Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy stated the government will listen to residents but also acknowledged that the burden of asylum accommodation often falls on poorer communities.
- Residents cited concerns about dropped house values, cancelled deals, and re-evaluated pensions.
- The village has declared itself the 'Principality of Piddington'.
- A local councillor warned the site could become a 'lightning rod to the far right'.