Village bordering Buckinghamshire votes to become independent from UK in referendum responding to asylum seeker housing plans

Piddington, which is located around four-and-a-half miles from Bicester, and on the border with Buckinghamshire, held the referendum in response to the Government’s plans to house 1,250 asylum seekers at the nearby MOD Bicester.

The referendum was organised by Piddington Parish Council, with villagers invited to cast their votes in a small ballot box outside the village hall.

The parish council’s vice-chair Susannah Parden declared the result to the vote, in which residents were asked the question: “Do you support Piddington to secede from the UK and pursue self-determination?”

There were 312 votes cast, equivalent to 92 per cent of the ballot papers, with 285 Yes votes, 26 No votes and one ballot paper spoiled.

Although the result holds no legal weight, following the vote parish council chairman Tim McNally told the BBC it was an example of democracy in action.

He said: "We went into this village hall as the underdogs - we had a plucky idea. We have given a message to the world."

MOD Bicester is one of three Ministry of Defence sites around the country that could be used to house asylum seekers if planning permission is granted.

A consultation on the plans to house asylum seekers at MOD Bicester is open until tomorrow (Thursday).

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