All articles tagged with #piddington
Residents of Piddington, a tiny Oxfordshire village, held a symbolic referendum to secede from the UK over plans to house more than 1,000 migrants at the nearby Bicester Garrison; 285 of 312 ballots backed the move, but the result carries no legal weight and highlights rising local frustration with government migration policy and asylum housing.
In the 350-strong village of Piddington, Oxfordshire, residents voted 285 of 312 ballots to declare the area the 'Principality of Piddington' in a non-binding referendum protesting plans to house more than 1,200 single adult male asylum seekers at a former military site for at least 10 years; the government says the site will go ahead to reduce reliance on hotels, while Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he would consider the concerns.
In a non-binding referendum, Piddington, a 350-resident Oxfordshire village, voted 285 to 26 to secede from the United Kingdom to protest plans to house up to 1,200 asylum seekers at a nearby former military base, with supporters calling it a victory for local democracy while opponents warn of safety and property-value concerns; the district will be known as the Principality of Piddington.
Residents of Piddington, a village of about 350 in Oxfordshire, voted in a non-binding referendum to become the “Principality of Piddington” in a symbolic protest against the government’s plan to house up to 1,200 male asylum seekers at a nearby former military base. The 285-26 vote was praised by some as a victory for local democracy and criticized by others as fear-driven; the government says the site will be largely self-sufficient and has pledged to move migrants into better housing and speed up asylum processing. Refugee groups cautioned against scapegoating migrants amid broader debates over housing and safety.