Villagers in Piddington, an Oxfordshire hamlet near Bicester, have voted to sever ties with the United Kingdom in protest against plans to house more than 1,000 asylum seekers at a nearby military base.
The referendum took place on Tuesday, with the local parish council organising the ballot. The 350 residents of the village were invited to cast their vote in a small box placed outside the village hall, which serves as the community’s main gathering point.
Out of 312 votes cast, 285 opted to leave the UK, 26 voted to remain, and one ballot paper was spoiled. Susannah Parden, vice chair of the parish council, delivered the result, quoting the village’s rallying cry: “We are Piddington the village that roars.”
The Numbers Behind the Vote
| Detail | Number |
|---|---|
| Total residents | 350 |
| Votes cast | 312 |
| Votes to leave | 285 |
| Votes to remain | 26 |
| Spoiled ballots | 1 |
How the Ballot Box Worked
The voting process was straightforward. Residents placed their ballot in a small box outside the village hall, the community’s central meeting place.
The result was delivered within hours of the polls closing. The vote was decisive, with nearly every voter choosing to leave the UK while just a handful wanted to stay.
What the Protest Is About
The referendum is a symbolic act of defiance. The village is not actually leaving the UK — that much is understood from the organisers’ framing of the vote — but the vote represents a strong statement of opposition to the Home Office’s plans.
The village is small enough that almost everyone who lives there knows each other. The turnout was high, with almost everyone who lives there casting a vote.
The MoD Bicester Base
The asylum seekers would be housed at MoD Bicester, a former military base near the village. The Home Office has proposed accommodating up to 1,256 male asylum seekers there.
Piddington sits close to the site, which means the village will be close to the camp. That proximity is the focus of the protest.
Susannah Parden’s Line
Susannah Parden, vice chair of the parish council, delivered the result. Her line — “We are Piddington the village that roars” — captures the spirit of the vote.
The phrase is defiant, but it is also funny. A village of 350 people roaring is not a roar. It is a murmur, amplified.
Why the Vote Worked
The referendum worked because it was small, local, and immediate. A village hall, a box, a question, and a result within hours.
The organisers did not need to organise a full election. They needed a show of intent, and they got it.
The vote was a warning shot. The village is ready to be heard.
A Tiny Roar
Piddington is a village that roars. The roar is small, but it is loud for a village of 350 people.
The referendum was a protest, and the protest was a success. The vote was decisive, the message was clear, and the village made its point.
The village will wait. And it will roar again if it needs to.
See the a run of 36 images at the BBC.
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