Residents of Piddington, Oxfordshire, voted on July 4, 2026, to hold a symbolic referendum on declaring independence from the United Kingdom.
The move is a protest against Home Office plans to house up to 1,250 male asylum seekers at the nearby former Bicester Garrison.
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The local vote yielded a 96 percent majority in favor of the referendum.
Situated between Piddington and Upper Arncott, Bicester Garrison is one of three military sites targeted alongside RAF Linton-on-Ouse and RAF Barnham to accommodate 3,750 asylum seekers combined.
The plan aims to phase out hotel use by the end of the current Parliament.
Because no legal mechanism exists for a municipality to secede without parliamentary approval, the vote remains symbolic.
The Home Office also plans to extend leases at Wethersfield and Crowborough to hold another 1,750 asylum seekers.
Tim McNally, chairman of the Piddington parish council, voiced strong opposition after an emergency meeting was called in June following the government's announcement.
"It's about representation. We have had no input into the proposal.
We have been asking questions, and nothing has come back," he said.
McNally emphasized that the lack of advance notice contributed heavily to local outrage. "The shock of the information triggered people.
I could have prepared them if I was given prior warning," he added.
Local residents expressed deep concerns regarding local governance and safety in the small community.
Ian Darby, a 62-year-old financial adviser and 16-year resident of Piddington, said: "The Government did not talk to the MP nor the council.
