Village votes to leave UK over asylum housing plan in symbolic referendum
Residents of the Oxfordshire village of Piddington have voted in a symbolic referendum to declare independence from the UK. The protest was organized in response to government plans to house over 1,000 asylum seekers at a nearby military base.
Why it matters
The vote highlights local tensions regarding immigration policy and the challenges of balancing national housing requirements with community concerns.
Published 16 September 2026, 07:08 BST Updated 6 minutes ago Residents of an Oxfordshire village have voted to become independent from the UK in a symbolic referendum held in protest at plans to house more than 1,000 migrants at a former military base.
Villagers in Piddington, near Bicester, voted on Tuesday over Home Office proposals to house up to 1,256 male asylum seekers at nearby MoD Bicester.
The 350 residents were invited to cast their ballot in a small box outside the village hall, the community hub of Piddington.
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