The great Piddington betrayal: Rayner presses ahead with plans for migrant camp - with villagers who voted to leave the UK in protest ignored
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Angela Rayner has approved plans for a controversial migrant camp – despite the village nearby symbolically voting to leave the UK in protest.
The Housing Secretary gave the green light to plans to house up to 1,256 single male migrants at MoD Bicester in Oxfordshire.
She took the decision despite the overwhelming opposition of the local community in Piddington.
The move comes after Prime Minister Andy Burnham said that people in more affluent areas of the UK must 'play their part' in housing asylum seekers.
A letter sent to local Tory MP Greg Smith said: 'I am writing to inform you the Secretary of State has granted planning permission, subject to conditions, for the Home Office's application.'
The MoD Bicester site – one of three ex-military locations where the Home Office is proposing to house a total of 3,750 asylum seekers – was used as an MoD equipment storage facility.
Local residents pose with a 'Principality of Piddington' sign in the Oxfordshire village following the referendum result, on September 16
Angela Rayner has now approved plans for the controversial migrant camp - despite the village's symbolic vote
An aerial view of Piddington, with the MoD Bicester site in the background
It is situated next to Piddington Reserve – a field where children play football and locals walk their dogs, on the edge of the 350-strong village that has no shops or facilities beyond a church and community hall.
Residents voted in September to leave the UK in a symbolic referendum in response to the plans to locate asylum seekers for a minimum of ten years.
Ms Rayner decided to override those concerns despite residents suing the Government over the decision.
Campaigners claimed the Home Office broke the law by ignoring the potential threat to wildlife.
The Government has promised to end the use of hotels for asylum seekers and will utilise former military sites instead. Two are up and running – Wethersfield in Essex, and Crowborough in East Sussex.
Alongside MoD Bicester, sites at Barnham in Norfolk and at Linton-on-Ouse in North Yorkshire have also been identified. It is believed that decisions on these have not yet been made.
Local residents unveil a 'Principality of Piddington' sign in the village after they voted overwhelmingly to become an independent state in a symbolic 'referendum' in September
Chris Philp, Shadow Home Secretary, said: 'Angela Rayner and the Labour government have betrayed the people of Piddington and Bicester by abusing their emergency powers in this way.
'Using emergency Crown planning powers to force a camp for 1,500 young male illegal migrants on to a tiny rural village is sickening. I have met many women from the village who are scared for their safety – but Angela Rayner doesn't care.
'Instead of accommodating illegal immigrants, the Government should leave the ECHR so illegal immigrants can be deported.'
A Home Office spokesman said: 'Planning permission allows us to continue to progress the use of MoD Bicester.
'However, a final decision to proceed is yet to be taken. The Government is working on a fairer distribution of asylum accommodation across the country, with over £1billion saved in costs since the election. This includes closing all asylum hotels.'
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