Village votes for independence in symbolic referendum driven by migrant camp

An Oxfordshire village which could house more than 1,000 asylum seekers has 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.

Some 285 villagers backed “independence”, with a turnout of nearly 92%.

Only 26 residents voted against the motion, with one spoiled ballot recorded.

The result was announced by a returning officer to an audience of dozens of journalists and residents gathered outside the village hall on Wednesday morning.

A view of a protest sign in Piddington in Oxfordshire (Joe Giddens/PA)

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A pennant reading Battle for Britain 2026 also hangs outside the hall, alongside another commemorating the date of the Second World War military campaign, the Battle of Britain, on September 15 1940.

Speaking to the Press Association while villages voted on Tuesday, parish chairman Tim McNally said the vote was about “hope” for residents.

He said: “Yesterday was the anniversary of the Battle of Britain, and for us, it was the battle for Britain.

“We’ve been identified as ground zero for a whole number of issues.

“I just want to say something to Andy Burnham, the Prime Minister of this great, great country that we’re in, the Speaker of the House of Lords, Speaker of the Commons, Kemi Badenoch, who is the leader of the opposition and all shadow oppositions: this is an example of democracy in operation.”

He added: “On the 3rd of July, when we started this process, we went into this village hall as what we call the underdogs, not knowing how we were going to go forward and actually fight against this plan, we had a plucky idea.

“We had an idea that we would grow as people, and what I consider as definition of done, is this.

“This is definition of done. We have given an absolute message, not just to the region, not just to the country, but to the world.”

Asked whether he would become prime minister of Piddington, Mr McNally said he had “no intention of having such a leadership status”, but declared the village will now be known as “the Principality of Piddington”.

A sign reading the village’s unofficial new name was then displayed outside the hall, while a campaign song created by the village played in the background, with the lyrics: “It’s the battle for Britain, and Britain roars.”

Residents attend a parish council meeting in the village hall in Piddington, Oxfordshire (Ben Whitley?PA)

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He said: “It doesn’t matter whether they’re priests or vicars, the proportionality isn’t acceptable.

“Your house value has dropped. We’ve had a number of house deals cancelled. We’ve had banks pull mortgages.

“We’ve had people who’ve got pensions in their properties have to be revaluated, because the value of their property is no longer what it was.

“That’s not about saying this is a wealthy area, this is no more wealthy than any other village around the country, but people work very hard, and they worked hard to earn what they’ve made, and they should be entitled to have what they’ve made.

“But overnight, to have that destroyed, ultimately, is disgraceful, and we’ve had no involvement in that process to determine what it means for us.”

A local resident casts their vote in the ballot box (Ben Whitley/PA)

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Parish councillor Mike Nixon said the site has no pedestrian access areas, and the Government has suggested issuing asylum seekers with high-visibility jackets to keep them safe while walking along a busy road.

He told PA: “The nearest path is about a mile and a quarter away, down a very busy road that’s unlit.

“Their (the Government’s) own document says it’s not recommended that pedestrian access is used, so they’re proposing that residents would use the shuttle bus service from the site.

“And to further discourage them, they’re suggesting that should they walk, they would be issued high-vis jackets, and that’s the only mitigation for the residents’ safety.

“The road itself, the B4011, is a busy road, 50-mile-an-hour speed limit, but vehicles will regularly go in excess of that, so it is likely that there would be significant risk of road traffic collisions, injury, or even death, should the plan go ahead.”

Mr Nixon added the proposed site is prone to surface water flooding, has an inadequate foul water drainage system, and an insufficient power supply.

A view of a protest sign outside the ex-military base MoD Bicester in Oxfordshire (Joe Giddens/PA)

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Speaking to PA after casting his vote on Tuesday, Herbert Owen, known in the village as Herbie, said the independence referendum “isn’t just about Piddington”.

Mr Owen, 76, said: “It means everything our grandparents, our parents fought for – today is the Battle of Britain.

“This isn’t just about Piddington, this is about our whole country.

“This Government is destabilising our country.

“Wherever they put these people, in camps, in HMOs, or whatever, they’re ruining people’s lives.”

A spokesman for the Home Office previously said: “The Government is closing every asylum hotel, saving taxpayers over £1 billion on asylum support since the election.

“We are working to fairly house asylum seekers across the country, moving asylum seekers into alternative accommodation, including former military sites which are designed to be self-contained to reduce impact on the local community.

“As part of the process, we engage with local authorities and police forces to ensure the safety and security of those in the surrounding area.”