‘I voted to leave the UK’: Tiny English village ‘secedes’ in protest over asylum centre plan
LONDON, Sept 16 — An English village of around 350 people announced today that a vast majority of residents had vo...
In a small English village with a population of around 350, residents recently held an "independence referendum" to protest plans to house over 1,200 migrants in a nearby facility. Piddington, located 25 kilometers from Oxford, garnered attention with its symbolic vote, which had no legal basis. Of the 312 ballots counted, 285 residents voted in favor of seceding from the United Kingdom, citing concerns over assimilation with the proposed asylum center.
The village's parish council chair, Tim McNally, expressed worry about the prospective influx, stating that a small village like theirs cannot absorb such a large number of males. The Oxfordshire county council's chief, Tim Bearder, warned that the planned center could attract far-right protesters and potentially incite attacks on asylum seekers.
The government defended the choice of a former military base as a suitable housing option, emphasizing the need for safety and security for both migrants and the local community.
Written by urgent.news from Malay Mail's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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- English village votes to leave the UK over migrant housing plan winnipegfreepress.com
- English village votes to 'secede' from UK over asylum centre plan nst.com.my
