Oxfordshire village to hold UK independence referendum amid asylum seeker plan
Villagers backed the vote by 96% after government plans for a nearby asylum site sparked protests and an independence campaign.
- Residents of Piddington voted to pursue a referendum on leaving the United Kingdom, protesting government plans to convert a redundant Ministry of Defence site at Bicester Garrison into an asylum seeker facility.
- The Home Office scheme to house 1,250 men prompted the move, as Piddington Parish Council Chair Tim McNally cited a lack of representation and consultation regarding the proposal.
- McNally, a 62-year-old financial advisor, argued the process is "undemocratic," while residents expressed concerns about security and potential crime in their small, crime-free village.
- On Saturday, July 4, 96 per cent of villagers voted to advance the independence plan; McNally is now drafting a constitution, comparing the village's plight to American revolutionaries.
- The Home Office has refused to comment on whether they would honour the referendum result, while Ian Darby, a resident of 16 years, hopes to force the government to talk.
18 Articles
18 Articles
Villagers in Piddington, Oxfordshire, have reacted to plans by the UK Home Office to open a large asylum seeker accommodation centre close to their village with an unusual move. They want to symbolically declare independence from the United Kingdom. Piddington is a small village of around 350 people and has very limited local infrastructure. According to the authorities’ plans, up to 1,250 single adult male asylum seekers would be housed on a fo…
English Village Organizing Vote to Declare Independence Over Massive Migrant Camp.
Residents of Piddington in Oxfordshire, England, are set to hold a referendum on seceding from the United Kingdom in response to government plans to transplant over 1,200 asylum seekers to a nearby camp.PULSE POINTS WHAT HAPPENED: The village of Piddington in Oxfordshire, England, plans to hold a referendum on declaring independence from the United Kingdom, protesting the Home Office’s decision to house over 1,200 asylum seekers at a nearby form…
Why this Oxfordshire village wants independence
Residents of a small Oxfordshire village are fighting back against government plans to open a large asylum seeker site nearby. In a hugely significant move, locals in Piddington have voted in favour of holding a referendum to declare independence from the UK.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 73% of the sources lean Right
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
