Residents of a small English village have voted overwhelmingly in favour of symbolically declaring independence from the United Kingdom in protest against a government plan to accommodate at least 1,200 asylum seekers at a nearby former military base.
The non-binding referendum was held in Piddington, an affluent Oxfordshire village with a population of around 350. The result showed 285 residents voting in favour of separation, while only 26 voted against.
Following the vote, parish chairman Tim McNally said the community had sent a clear message to the region, the country and the wider world. He announced that the area would henceforth be known symbolically as the “Principality of Piddington.”
The village is located about half a mile from the former Ministry of Defence site at Bicester, where the government plans to provide accommodation for asylum seekers.
Local residents have expressed concerns that the plan could affect security, increase crime and reduce property values. The government, however, has said the accommodation facility is being developed as a self-contained site designed to minimise its impact on the local community.
Herbert Owen, a 77-year-old resident, said the issue went beyond Piddington.
“This is not just about Piddington,” Owen said. “It is about everything our grandparents and parents fought for. Today is our Battle of Britain.”
Supporters of the referendum have described the vote as an expression of local democracy, while critics have warned that opposition to asylum accommodation could fuel fear and hostility towards newcomers.
The vote comes amid wider tensions in Britain over irregular migration. Protests and episodes of violence have occurred in several parts of the country, including after an attack near Liverpool two years ago that was falsely attributed on social media to a Muslim asylum seeker. More recently, masked protesters at the port of Dover attempted to prevent migrant boats from landing.
The government, led by Prime Minister Andy Burnham, has said it is seeking to reduce the time asylum seekers spend in state accommodation by speeding up asylum decisions, while also taking measures to stop people crossing the English Channel in small boats.
More than 41,000 people made the dangerous Channel crossing in 2025, while the number has fallen by more than 40% so far this year, according to the government.
Commenting on the Piddington vote, Burnham said he understood the depth of local frustration and would examine the concerns raised through the community and referendum.
“But we need to ensure a fair plan so that responsibility for accommodating newcomers is shared across the country,” he said.
John Fittonby, chief policy analyst at the Refugee Council, said accommodating people fleeing war and violence in remote and uncomfortable locations could increase their sense of insecurity.
“In other cases, we have seen this damage social cohesion,” he said.
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