English village votes to leave UK in protest over asylum housing plan

Residents of Piddington, Oxfordshire, have voted in a symbolic referendum to leave the UK over plans to house asylum seekers at a nearby military base.

• In Piddington, 312 residents voted in the symbolic poll, with 285 backing independence and 26 against, over plans to house up to 1,256 male asylum seekers at MoD Bicester.
• Culture minister Lisa Nandy said the government is reducing the asylum backlog and that the burden of asylum accommodation should not fall on poorer communities.
• Oxfordshire County Council leader Tim Bearder said the site is wrong for both the local community and the asylum seekers.
• A Home Office spokesperson said the government engages with local authorities and police forces to ensure the safety and security of the surrounding area.