Residents of Piddington, an Oxfordshire village near Bicester, voted overwhelmingly in a symbolic referendum to leave the United Kingdom, protesting government plans to house up to 1,256 male asylum seekers at a nearby former military site. Of 312 ballots cast, 285 supported secession, 26 opposed it and one was spoiled. The vote has no legal or constitutional effect, but parish council leaders described it as an expression of local opposition and grassroots democracy. The government says the former military site is intended to help reduce reliance on hotels for asylum accommodation, while Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he understood the strength of local feeling and would examine the concerns raised by the community. Refugee groups have cautioned against making asylum seekers scapegoats while also questioning whether military barracks are appropriate accommodation.
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