Village votes to leave UK over asylum housing plan

Villagers in Piddington, near Bicester, voted on Tuesday over Home Office proposals to house up to 1,256 male asylum seekers at nearby MoD Bicester.

The 350 residents were invited to cast their ballot in a small box outside the village hall, the community hub of Piddington.

Local resident Herbert Owen cast his vote and described the referendum as 'the Battle of Britain'.

Delivering the result, Susannah Parden, vice chair of the parish council said: 'We are Piddington the village that roars. '

Following the result, council chair Tim McNally said: 'This is an example of democracy in operation.

'We went into this village hall as the underdogs - we had a plucky idea,' he added. 'We have given a message to the world. '

Responding to the village saying it had 'roared', Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy told BBC Breakfast: 'I think they have – we have heard it, we are listening.

'I do really understand that when changes are made that affect your community it can be very distressing,' she said. 'We inherited an enormous asylum backlog, we are processing claims much more quickly, we are removing people who don't have the right to be here,' she continued.

Tim Beader, Oxfordshire County Council leader, said: 'I think what this shows is the Piddington campaigners have done an incredible job to highlight their concerns about the proposed asylum centre.'