English Village Votes to Secede from UK in Backlash to Migrant Camp
An English village has made its displeasure known over a plan to plunk a center for 1,200 illegal immigrants on its fringes by voting to secede from the United Kingdom.
The village of Piddington in Oxfordshire held a secession referendum Tuesday, and 92 percent of those voting — 285 out of 312 votes cast — supported the symbolic act after the Home Office said it would house up to 1,256 male asylum seekers at a former military base nearby, according to the BBC.
In a letter to Parliament, 130 of the village’s women told lawmakers “life as we know it will be destroyed” by the plan.
In response to Piddington voting to leave the UK, something that has surely riled up the SNP, Andy Burnham has said it’s about “fairness across the country”.
No talk of alleviating these residents fears, no talk of alleviating the nations fears, it’s all talk about framing it as…
— Darren Grimes (@darrengrimes) September 16, 2026
“As fellow women, you will understand the serious risks this will expose us to. Our safety, our security and our freedoms will be under threat. We will not feel safe walking our streets,” they said.
After the referendum, parish council vice chair Susannah Parden said: “We are Piddington, the village that roars.”
“We have given a message to the world,” parish council chair Tim McNally said. “This is an example of democracy in operation.”
I understand the whole “you get what you voted for” comments
But this isn’t just Piddington.
I don’t want ANY town or village to have a load of immigrants dumped on their doorstep, regardless of how they votedTHE COUNTRY IS FULL!!!
— Gracie💙 (@Gracie_Blue89) September 16, 2026
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp, a member of the opposition, said the vote should be a “wake-up call” for the government and that the village was “sending a message on behalf of the whole country”.
“The whole country is sick of illegal immigrants being allowed to enter our country and get accommodated, whether it’s in hotels, flats or military sites,” he said.
Piddington resident Christina Gower, 26, said she was disappointed that action “so drastic and desperate” was necessary, but regular channels did nothing for the village.
“It doesn’t make sense, but then I just think it’s such a symbol for the rest of the UK, and I think the residents here in Piddington are so proud that they can pull off something so wacky and out of place and really impactful,” she said.
The government is not changing its course, according to the Independent.
“The Government is closing every asylum hotel, saving taxpayers over £1 billion on asylum support since the election,” the representative said.
I went to Piddington with @joymorrissey to support the villagers
They are scared for the safety of their daughters when 1,350 young male illegal immigrants arrive in their community
Illegal immigrants should be rapidly deported, not accommodated
Piddington speaks for the… https://t.co/MIvWpSugWM
— Chris Philp MP (@CPhilpOfficial) September 16, 2026
“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,” a Home Office representative said.
“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,” the representative said.
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