Conservative and Reform UK politicians are advocating for the United Kingdom to withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) as a means to control illegal migration. The calls intensified during a visit to Piddington, Oxfordshire, ahead of a local protest referendum concerning the accommodation of asylum seekers.
Residents of Piddington, a village of approximately 350 people, organized the unofficial vote after expressing opposition to plans to house over 1,200 male asylum seekers at the nearby Bicester military camp. Parish council members have reported being approached by numerous other villages seeking advice on initiating similar campaigns, suggesting a potential nationwide spread of such local actions. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has pledged support for communities wishing to hold comparable votes.
Concerns about the impact on the village have been voiced by residents. Some women have reportedly signed up for self-defense classes, and police have advised local women to take precautions. An open letter from the 'Ladies of Piddington' to female Members of Parliament expressed fears that "Our safety, our security and our freedoms will be under threat." According to the letter, only four of the 226 MPs approached responded: Conservative MPs Joy Morrissey and Sarah Bool, and Reform's Sarah Pochin and Suella Braverman. Residents have described feeling unsafe and the potential for the village to be "on lockdown" when the migrants arrive, particularly given the limited street lighting and lack of pavements in some areas.
Reform UK's equalities spokesman, Suella Braverman, described the situation in Piddington as "stark," stating that the plans would "dramatically transform the character of the village" and only bring "harm and damage." She expressed solidarity with the protesting women.
Conservative Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp, accompanied by Tory spokesman for women and equalities Joy Morrissey, also met with residents. Philp argued that "young male illegal immigrants are disproportionately likely to commit sex offences and rape," and that leaving the ECHR would enable the deportation of illegal immigrants upon arrival, rather than their placement in communities like Piddington. He asserted that the Conservative party would "kick out this Labour Government."
The Bicester site is one of three former military bases being repurposed by the Labour government to house asylum seekers, aiming to reduce reliance on hotels and cut asylum costs. Similar facilities have been established in Crowborough, East Sussex, and Wethersfield, Essex, drawing local opposition. Asylum seekers housed at these camps are permitted to leave and travel within the surrounding areas.
The unofficial referendum in Piddington was scheduled to release its results on Wednesday morning. The Labour Party has not yet provided clarity on the duration for which the military camp will house asylum seekers.